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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398111">The Return of Dragons</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordStark5/pseuds/LordStark5'>LordStark5</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>#Sweetrobinisimmortal, A few tags are being withheld due to spoilers, Aegon Targaryen (Son of Rhaegar) Lives, Aged up Myrcella, All Other Characters Have Original Book Ages, Alliances of Iron, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Dayne Lives, B Plus A Kinda Equals J, Cannibal on Skagos, Domeric Bolton Lives, Dornish Master Plans, Dragon dreams, Dragonless Ambitions, Elia Martell Lives, Euron Isn't in Exile, Evil Bloodraven, F/F, F/M, Food Symbolism, House Peake showing up, Lore Alterations, Lots of OCs - Freeform, M/M, No dead dragonspawn, Oswell Whent Lives, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, R Plus L Equals J, Ramsay was Sacrificed to the Others, Rhaenys Targaryen (Daughter of Rhaegar) Lives, Robert has Mistresses, Rocella, Stannis has a Velaryon Wife, Story Probably Doesn't Have a Happy Ending, Targaryens are not Fireproof, The Daemon/Rhea tag is complicated, Tygett Lannister Lives, Viserys Targaryen Lives, Written by a Blackfyre Supporter, bran doesn't fall, crack ships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:42:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>78,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordStark5/pseuds/LordStark5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elia hides elsewhere with her children, and Ned makes it to King's Landing while the sack is still happening resulting in Elia's kids not being killed. This ends up radically reshaping the events of the War of the 5 Kings and beyond.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>"Fair" Walda Frey/Edmure Tully, Barbrey Dustin/Willam Dustin, Brynden Blackwood/Jeyne Snow (OC), Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister, Lynesse Hightower/Jorah Mormont, Myrcella Baratheon/Robb Stark, Robert Baratheon/Arianne Martell (Past), Robert Baratheon/Cersei Lannister, Theon Greyjoy/Rhaenys Targaryen (Daughter of Elia), “The Smalljon” Umber/Lyra Mormont</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prologue</p><p>"Go find the Targaryen babes, and do what needs to be done," Lord Tywin had ordered. The children though were proving to be harder to find than Ser Amory had thought. Ser Gregor had already tired of the search and returned to raping and looting. But not me, Amory thought. I will do as my Lord commands.</p><p>They couldn't be this hard to find. Surely one of the babes would make some noise to give themselves away.</p><p>His search had brought him to Maegor's holdfast. They had not been anywhere else, so surely they must be in there he thought.</p><p>Two knights stood on the drawbridge and both had swords drawn, though neither had heraldry that Amory could recognize. Below lied the spiked moat, famous for killing Queen Helena and her daughter Princess Jaehera.</p><p>"Yield, and you will be allowed to take the Black," Amory offered the two men.</p><p>"Is that what you have offered all the men, women and children in the city? I think not." Said the knight standing to the left, pointing to the rest of the city, where men dying, women screaming and babes wailing filled the air. Without a helmet on, the man's grey hair stood out.</p><p>"We are knights, and will die as such." The one on the right responded.</p><p>"You both wish to die then? So be it." Amory told them as he drew his sword.</p><p>Amory made quick work of the Old man who was on the left. He had charged at Amory first, while the younger one on the right stayed back. Their swords briefly danced, a minute at most, and it was clear he was no fit match for Ser Amory Lorch. He brought his sword down in a savage arc and cleaved off the greybeard's sword arm at the shoulder, then shoved him down into the spikes below. One spike went through his chest, and the man did not cry out in pain. A quicker death than he deserved, Amory thought, as he felt a little blood welling from a small wound in his chest.</p><p>The other man let out a yell and charged at Amory. Good, let him be angry he thought. He proved to be much more difficult. Their dance lasted what felt like for hours, though it could not have been more than a few minutes. Amory managed to disarm the knight, and then thrust his sword through the man's gut. He then pulled it out as the man fell over, and dropped over the edge to join the old man down below on the spikes.</p><p>Afterward, Amroy looked over himself. He could feel a great deal of pain in his left knee, where the man had been able to strike a blow on the outside. Had he not been wearing armor, it would've cut his leg in half no doubt. It hurt far more than any bruise he had ever felt, but he chose to carry on. His shield had been hacked to pieces, and Amory had ended up blocking more than a few times with his own arm, no doubt it was broken.</p><p>But there was no time for pain now, he had to find the Targaryen babes. He entered the holdfast and began his search there. He could see more men were following him in, now that they the bridge had been cleared.</p><p>Every room had to be searched he knew. It would not be enough to just listen for the wails of the babes, he would need to look.</p><p>They were not on the first level of apartments, nor the second.</p><p>Then he went up to the third. As he had finished searching the first room in the third floor, he could hear a war-horn's cry though distant. He looked out the window and saw where it had come from. Outside the city was the rebel host. They were now entering the city. I must needs be quick, Amory told himself. I will not let them do my task. Each room on the third floor had proved to be as fruitless as those on the first and second floors.</p><p>When he made it to the fourth level, he could clearly see this was where the royal nursery was. No doubt they would be here. Yet there were just some random serving women. Amory considered giving them a good fuck before he continued his search, but he needed to finish his job. He found a room that he figured could only be Princess Elia's. But it was abandoned just as the nursery was. He searched as thoroughly as he could through the room, but they weren't there. He even ducked down to look under the bed, and found a black cat.</p><p>The cat hissed at him, then leapt at him, and before he knew what the cat was doing, pain exploded from his right eye. In pain, Amory retreated from looking under the bed, completely ignoring the cat.</p><p>By now with every step he took, his right knee screamed out, while he could not see from his right eye. It would be a shameful tale to tell he thought. Of how he lost his eye to a cat hidden beneath a bed.</p><p>Just as the others, they were not on the fourth floor. When Amory looked out the window, he could see the first of rebels were nearing the Red Keep.</p><p>He tried to go up the stairs to the fifth level of apartments, but his right leg would not let him. Cursed thing he thought. He could still walk, but going up was too much. So he tried going down. Perhaps they will not be found here he thought. He exited Maegor's Holdfast on the Drawbridge that he had won. He could see some men giving him queer glances, but most payed him no heed.</p><p>Just then, he heard a babe's cry ring out from where the Godswood. It was short, but Amory knew exactly what it would mean. No doubt the mother had panicked and tried to silence the babe after it had cried out. It could only be the dead prince's wife and children. He looked to the outward and could see some of the rebel host was now flooding in. By the time Ser Amory made it to the Godswood he could see that they were beginning to enter the Red Keep. He could see the stag, and trout banners, but the majority of them displayed direwolves. And he could see that most of them were ordering the Westermen to stop, and even killing some who refused.</p><p>He would need to find the babes before one of them got to him. He could see three of the Northerners were following him as he entered the godswood.</p><p>He went as fast as his leg would allow him to. He heard another muffled cry from a babe. It was close he thought. Ser Amory had hardly walked a few hundred yards before he came across them. He could see the princess holding the two babes, trying to get them to sleep, and a little girl tugging at her skirts.</p><p>"Mother, mother, that man, do you see him?" the girl whispered. She took after her mother he could see, having her darker hair and skin of a Dornishwoman. Mayhaps I'll be able to taste the Dornishman's wife he thought. Or rather, the Dornishman's daughter.</p><p>He could hear branches snapping behind him. The Northmen were coming.</p><p>"Who are you?" The Princess called out to him.</p><p>"Your death," Ser Amory grunted back. When he said so, he could see the fear building in the woman's brown eyes. He was only a few feet from her. Then he saw her eyes lock onto something behind him.</p><p>He turned to see a man standing behind him. "Drop your sword ser, and you may yet live to see another day." The man had a direwolf pin on his armor, with a long face, brown hair and grey eyes, cold as ice.</p><p>"And who are you to give me orders?" Amory spat.</p><p>"Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and commander of this host for the nonce." The man replied.</p><p>"But you are not my lord." He retorted.</p><p>The man who claimed to be Lord Eddard drew his sword, and Amory rose his as well. He no longer had a shield and his broken left arm would be no use. He would be forced to use his bastard sword one handed. With his right eye out, and his knee barely able to support his weight, this could prove to be troublesome.</p><p>His foe struck first, attacking his left. Amory tried to twist his body to block it with the sword he carried in his right hand, but his knee gave out, unable to bear his weight and that of his armor any longer. Bugger you, he thought. He managed to parry the strike, but his sword fell from his grasp.</p><p>The other man did not drop his sword or have his knee buckle. It's over now, he thought, as he saw the man thrust his sword into his chest, and with that, Ser Amory Lorch fell down.</p><p>"Come with me my princess, you are safe now," he heard the man telling the princess, whilst his life's blood flowed, and everything went black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>After impatiently waiting on Winds for 4 years now, I decided screw it, I'll write my own story. Throw in the fact that I've had nothing to do during Quarantine and here we are.</p><p>Yes, Elia is holding two children with Rhaenys tugging at her skirts. This naturally would raise the question as to why Rhaegar would've run off with Lyanna. There's a few reasons. First, Rhaegar would be really confused. He was expecting three children, two daughters and one son, a Rhaenys, Aegon and Visenya. But now he has a Rhaenys, Aegon and Daemon. So now he would now think the three heads of the dragons would be three sons and not just three children. Second, Rhaegar crowned Lyanna queen of love and beauty at the Tourney of Harrenhal, prior to Aegon's birth, which means before he was told Elia couldn't have any more kids. This means it's likely Rhaegar was planning on running off with Lyanna regardless.</p><p>Please leave reviews to let me know what you think.</p><p>I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The King's Hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The King's Hand</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a fortnight before Robert arrived after the sack. The new king had taken a wound at the Battle of the Trident, and had sent Ned ahead in command of their remaining forces to take King's Landing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had not expected the city to have already fallen when they arrived. Ned was furious with Lord Tywin, who had tricked King Aerys into letting them into the city, and then ordered the city to be sacked. No doubt it has soured the common folk towards the rebel cause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been equally furious at the fact that Lord Tywin had ordered men to kill the Princess Elia and her children. Lord Tywin had denied it, and claimed Ser Amory was acting on his own accord, but Ned had refused to listen to his explanations. He had been able to slay Ser Amory and save them, and had taken them into custody since then, but Jon knew Ned well enough to know he would never forgive Lord Tywin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But perhaps the largest subject to his anger was Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, who had not been defending the Princess and her babes, instead slaying the King and his Hand, before he had been found, sitting atop the Iron Throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that Robert was in the city, they could hold a meeting to determine the fates of the Kingslayer, Princess Elia and the babes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first Small Council Meeting of Robert's young reign, they gathered in the Small Council Chambers of the Red Keep. Robert sat at the head of the table, well-muscled and looking every inch what a king should. Jon and Ned sat across from each other next to the king. Down the table sat Lord Hoster Tully, Grand Maester Pycelle, Lord Varys, Lord Jason Mallister, Bronze Yohn Royce, Lord Tywin Lannister and Lord Eon Hunter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Grand Maester and the Spider had been pardoned, and would be retaining their old positions under Robert, while the rest of the council had yet to be determined. Jon had been named Hand, and he had hoped Ser Barristan who had been pardoned would continue on as a white knight, and assume the position of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think the first thing that we must needs discuss is dealing with the last of the loyalists," Robert began bluntly. "Lord Tyrell and Redwyne still lay siege to Storm's End with my brothers in it, and Aerys's pregnant wife remains on Dragonstone with their second son."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon took note that Robert did not refer to Aerys as King anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned chose to speak up after that. "I've prepared the men to go lift the siege of Storm's End, we will depart on the morrow, and we will no doubt need to construct our own fleet to take Dragonstone." Ned put in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Perhaps Lord Paxter would be willing to lend our fleet for the time being to take Dragonstone once Storm's End is freed, if they dip their banners without a fight. They should suffice until such a time that we can build our own fleet." Lord Hoster offered. The man was near twenty namedays younger than Jon, yet he was his good-father. Ned, who was forty years his junior, was his good-brother. That's what happens when you wed a girl young enough to be your granddaughter, he thought to himself. He only prayed that Lady Lysa could find some joy with him. He would not have wed her if not for Denys and Elbert having perished in the Rebellion. Elbert had been one of Brandon Stark's companions and had died at the Hands of the Mad King. Only Ethan Glover, Brandon Stark's squire had survived, and he had been found in the Black Cells when they took the city. Denys had fallen at the Battle of the Bells, and his wife and infant son had followed him to the grave not long afterwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you intend to pardon Lords Tyrell and Redwyne?" Lord Yohn Royce asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, so long as they tip their banners and swear fealty." Robert responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I believe it is past time that we begin to name a Small Council and a Kingsguard," Grand Maester Pycelle offered. Pycelle was even a little older than Jon was, with a bald head, and a long snowy white beard with the last grey hairs disappearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jon will be my Hand," Robert said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We have already decided to allow you, Grand Maester, and Lord Varys to retain your positions on the King's Council. The King's brother, Lord Stannis has been named Master of Ships, Lord Hoster will serve as Master of Laws, and we have yet to decide who shall be Master of Coin." Jon told him. "As for a Kingsguard, we have begun working to put one together. Ser Ser Jaime Lannister has been pardoned, and will continue to wear his white cloak. Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Preston Greenfield have also been named to the Kingsguard, whilst the other four slots will be filled in the coming days."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very good my lord, and may I ask as to the fates of the Targaryen babes, Rhaenys, Aegon and Daemon?" Inquired the Grand Maester.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We ought to have them killed," Lord Tywin stated bluntly. "They will be a threat, if not now, when they are older, and give the loyalists someone to rally behind." Jon looked at Robert. He had spoken to him and Ned prior to the meeting about the matter since it was bound to come up. He had been able to convince Robert to let the babes to live.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We will do no such thing," Ned replied. "The babes are under my care, and I will have no harm done to them. If we were to judge men for the crimes of their forebearers, no one would be left."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what do you propose we do with them?" the Grand Maester asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will take them with me back to Winterfell when I'm done here in the South, and raise them as my wards. In time perhaps, the boy, Aegon could be risen to Lord of Summerhall of Dragonstone, and I will look for a decent match for both when they come of age. And, the Princess Elia will be returned to Sunspear." Ned told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what if they desire to reclaim their grandfather's throne? What if their children of grandchildren desire to claim it?" Lord Tywin demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You would have us kill children for the possible crimes of their children or grandchildren that haven't even been born. You, the Great Lord Tywin, the Lion of Lannister, tremble before the shadow of mere babes." Lord Hunter said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon saw Lord Tywin give the man a look of pure loathing for that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Matters then quickly turned to that of Robert's coronation. Jon could see Robert took hardly any interest in it, though he did try to listen, and add to the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robert was not to be coronated until Storm's End had been freed and Dragonstone were taken they decided. They had made some of the plans, and even decided to hold a tourney in celebration of the affair, to mark the beginning of the new era and the end of the war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some names for the Kingsguard and Master of Coin were thrown around, before the conversation moved to Lyanna Stark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do we know where Lady Lyanna was taken by Rhaegar?" Lord Jason Mallister asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Even my little birds do not seem to know where the once crown prince took her, I'm afraid." Said the Spider. Jon Arryn could hardly like the man, and the only reason he had been pardoned and welcomed back onto the King's Council was the fact that he was effective.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've heard some rumors of her whereabouts, though nothing that I know for certain. After I have lifted the siege I will look for her." Ned told them, putting the issue to rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is word of a battle in the Reach, the Ironborn attacked, striking up the Mander, no doubt making for Highgarden. Only, the faced more opposition than they likely anticipated, and Lord Quellon Greyjoy was slain and now his eldest living son, Balon, has risen to the title Lord Reaper of Pyke." Varys informed them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So long as they return to the Iron Islands once the Reacher Lords dip their banners and end the knee, it is all well and good." Robert told them, clearly uninterested in the conversation at hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Varys told them of a few other insubstantial tidings. Most of those sitting on the council took no interest. After fighting a war for near a year, most weren't interested in anything unless it had to do with the war. Jon had made sure to take note of the news he brought, but most of it was insignificant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the lack of interest, and no structure, the meeting was terribly disorganized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once it was over, Jon began to return to the Tower of the Hand. He lay in his bed alone that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would be coming to King's Landing within the fortnight, and would be there within the moon's turn. Most like I will still sleep alone, he thought to himself whilst he lay in bed, as they would sleep in separate chambers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl had gotten with child in the year of the False Spring, by her father’s ward, and birthed a bastard girl. Lord Hoster would have been wise to marry her off to the boy, but he would not have it, yet no others were willing to marry her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d had no troubles betrothing his younger girl to Lord Brax’s heir, yet none would be willing to wed Lysa, until him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would have to make some arrangements for Lysa’s daughter, he supposed, just as he had for Robert’s bastards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lysa still loved the boy, that much was plain to him, and there had been little love between them on their wedding night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts quickly turned to Lysa's sister, Catelyn. Ned had gotten word that she had successfully delivered a son, Robb, she had named the child, though the child had seemed to be both a blessing and a curse for Ned. Jon could tell he felt guilt over having sons on the woman who his brother, Brandon, had been to marry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robert had asked Ned to stay in King's Landing, to serve as Master of Laws for him on the Small Council earlier, though Ned had declined, saying he wished to go back to Winterfell, first. Jon hoped Ned would find some comfort with time, but for the nonce, Ned seemed to want nothing more than to return to the days of hardly a year ago when his father still ruled Winterfell with Brandon to wed Catelyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon’s thoughts of Ned also made him think of Robert. His fury had been what slew Rhaegar, but it was scarcely quenched. Jon hoped that when Ned brought back Lyanna, and Robert was wed that it would satisfy him, though he was not certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not long after, he drifted asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dreamt of dragons and seahorses, of a great tower rising high in the sky, flames rising higher than the tower, and blood. So much blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He woke early the next morning, hardly after the sun had risen, to see Ned off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned left with a host of one and ten thousand men, all mounted. He rode at the head of the host, joined by a select few companions of noble birth. There was near three thousand more who would be marching afot behind them, men of the Stormlands returning home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prior to that though, Ned and Jon saw off Ned's new wards and their mother. Their mother was off to Sunspear whilst the children were on a ship bound for White Harbor. The two babes, Aegon and Daemon, were too young to understand what was happening, whilst the other, Rhaenys, was distraught that her mother was leaving, and was asking after her father. One day she would learn of what had happened to her father, and Jon hoped that the girl would not hold a grudge against them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Ned and his men departed out the King's Gate, Jon returned to his duties, and prayed for his safe return.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Generally speaking when a character has an alias for a chapter title it means they are lost in ASOIAF, and while I will generally try to adhere to that, for this I really just needed to make sure that this was distinguished between Jon Arryn and Jon Snow. This is the only Jon Arryn chapter that I will have anyways.</p><p>We don't know exactly how or why Ethan Glover managed to survive, so I just took my best guess. I did always find his fate of being the sole survivor from Brandon's party only for him to die at the Tower of Joy a bit redundant though.</p><p>It's also worth noting that we don't know who originally served as Master of Law and Master of Coin. I went with Hoster as Master of Law since he seems a likely candidate for the job, and his eventual development of stomach cancer would explain why he left. Plus, it explains why Lysa waited a few years before trying to get Littlefinger the job of being in charge of customs at Gulltown.</p><p>We also don't know who two of Robert's original Kingsguard were. Ser Arys Oakheart and Ser Mandon Moore were named to the Kingsguard later on, most likely during or following the Greyjoy Rebellion. So I put in Elys Westerling which explains why Jaime notes him along with Roland Crakehall as the people who found him in the throne room.</p><p>Please comment to let me know what you think.</p><p>And I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Eddard I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eddard</p><p>Storm's End stood proudly before him, defiant as ever, just as Robert had described it. As the head of a host, numbering one and ten thousand strong, they would need to free the castle. The castle was surrounded by a sea of banners, whilst the sea was covered in enough wood to be mistaken for a forest.</p><p>Ned could see some men were riding towards his. Envoys he hoped. As they got closer, Ned could see the first banner that was flown was that of a white banner, marking them as indeed being envoys. It was joined by the Golden Rose of House Tyrell, on a Green Field, the huntsmen of Tarly, the golden tree of Rowan, the yellow cranes of House Crane, a solid green banner that he guessed was outlined in flowers of House Meadows, the red grapes on purple of House Redwyne and a dozen other lesser banners.</p><p>He had ordered his men to stop riding. They would meet the envoys in their camp. The men began to set up their camp for the night. Ned had the envoys wait until his tent was set up so that he could treat with them.</p><p>Once that was done, they joined him.</p><p>"My lords, make yourselves comfortable," Ned told them as they began to come in.</p><p>"Thank you, my lord," the man who had led them in replied. Ned figured he must be Mace Tyrell. He was a young and large man with brown hair and dressed all in green of House Tyrell with a rose emblazoned on his surcoat.</p><p>The other lords exchanged courtesies as well with Ned as they seated themselves. Ned was joined by Lords Yohn Royce, William Dustin, Jason Mallister, Roose Bolton, and Rickard Karstark on his side of the table.</p><p>They no doubt would've continued to exchange courtesies were it not for Lord Randyll Tarly. "My lord, no doubt you are here to have us strike our banners and end this siege. Perhaps we should discuss that first." He put in bluntly.</p><p>"His grace, King Robert will pardon each of you, allow you to keep all your lands, titles and incomes, and welcome you back into the King's Peace so long as you end the siege, and swear fealty to him. It is also his wish that your youngest son, Lord Tyrell, Loras, be fostered at Storm's End when he is old enough."</p><p>"Very well, I consent. Our men shall lift the siege and return home, and I shall ride to King's Landing to swear fealty to King Robert," Mace Tyrell replied. And that settled the matter.</p><p>He sent a few men back to his camp to inform them that they were striking his banners, whilst the rest remained for a few more hours.</p><p>Ned barely focused throughout the time that they lingered. Paxter Redwyne had called for some Arbor Gold to toast to their new, good king Robert, when just hours before they had been laying siege in the name of King Aerys.</p><p>Ned conversed with Lords Rowan and Tarly for a bit, before Mace Tyrell had mentioned that Ned had become a new father, with Robb not being of too dissimilar an age to his daughter Margaery who had also been born not long ago, and had suggested perhaps they arrange a betrothal between the two. Ned had declined, hardly wanting to think about who married Robb when he was just out of his mother's womb.</p><p>Soon after, the Lord of Highgarden's audience with Ned was over. He exited his tent and looked to see that Lord Tyrell's men were beginning to prepare for departure. The three-headed dragon banners that they had been flying earlier were now down, whilst some golden stags had begun to be flown.</p><p>Some men must have sent word to the castle who's gates were now opened. Ned figured that he would need to go in, though he had other matters to attend to. Good, he thought, before he walked back into his tent.</p><p>It was Yohn Royce, Roose Bolton and Jason Mallister who he first addressed. “My lords, we have no more great hosts to face, so on the morrow you shall begin leading the men back home.”</p><p>Each paid him a nod before taking their leave of his tent.</p><p>Once they were gone, Ned sat with Lord William Dustin, Lord Howland Reed, Theo Wull, Ethan Glover, and Ser Mark Ryswell, while Martyn Cassel remained outside the tent to ensure no one intruded on them.</p><p>"The men will be going home tomorrow," Ned told them. "Though I have further use of you. On the morrow we will continue south, to find Lyanna in Dorne. No matter what happens, or what we find down there, I want your word that you will keep quiet about it unless given word by me. Not even if his grace asks it of you. This task could very well end in our deaths as well, I'd have you know, for three of Aerys's Kingsguard are unaccounted for."</p><p>“I swear it.” Theo Wull said first.</p><p>“I swear as well.” Howland Reed told him.</p><p>“You have my word, my lord,” Ser Mark said.</p><p>The rest swore as well, and Martyn Cassel entered from outside to give his word as well, before they continued.</p><p>Once they were done, Ethan spoke up. "My lord, I had heard a rumor while in King's Landing. I do not think that we would want to discuss it now, while in the midst of the camp with so many potential ears around us, but we will discuss it on our journey south."</p><p>They still spoke of the matter for another hour afterwards though. Once they were finished, the sun had finished setting.</p><p>Ned scarcely slept that night, worrying of what he would find when he finally did find Lyanna.</p><p>Soon this will be over and I should be back at Winterfell, he thought grimly. Robert will be king with Lyanna as his queen, and Jon Arryn by his side as hand, whilst Lady Catelyn and their son awaited him in the North.</p><p>He tried to remember Catelyn, and imagine what their Robb would look like. She had been pretty enough on their wedding night, but he had not seen her since the morning afterwards. At Winterfell he would get to know them better, he prayed. Them, and the ghosts of father and Brandon…</p><p>Ned finally managed to fall asleep near the night's end, and found his sleep that night to be dreamless.</p><p>When he awoke a few hours after the sun had risen, Ned saw that Lord Redwyne's ships were now out of sight, whilst Lord Tyrell's men had begun to march back to the Reach. Ned's own host was breaking camp as well, no doubt glad to be able to return home after many moons at war.</p><p>Ned though, gathered a handful of men and began to ride towards the great fortress of Storm’s End.</p><p>The castle was round and over a hundred feet tall. Robert had told him that the castle's outer walls were forty feet at their thinnest, and facing out to the sea they were twice that, and he could see that was very much true.</p><p>The sky seemed calm for the nonce, though near Storm's End that could change at any time.</p><p>Once in, he saw that the garrison was terribly thin. Even with the smuggler who brought them a good deal of fish and onions to help resupply the men, most of them had still conserved their food. In the great hall, the men were dining to break their fast, though Ned would have mistaken it for a feast.</p><p>Lord Stannis sat at the high seat of the Hall. He looked a smaller version of Robert and thinner as well, much thinner, though he was still taller than Ned.</p><p>By his side sat perhaps the only person who was well fed, Stannis’s wife, Lady Jacaera, who was great with child, and had a babe at her breast as well, and two elder sons who had already weaned.</p><p>And Renly sat there near as well, looking almost the mirror image of the boy Ned had met when he first made it to the Eyrie.</p><p>"Be seated my lord." Stannis told him before ordering a serving man to fetch some bread and salt.</p><p>When the man came back with the bread and salt, Ned and his men took it gladly.</p><p>"My lord, his grace gives his thanks to you for holding Storm's End for him. He has even chosen you to be his Master of Ships and to serve on his Small Council." Ned informed him. "They have begun work on constructing a new royal fleet, and his grace hopes that you will lead it to go face the last remnants of the Targaryen's strength and take their ancestral stronghold, Dragonstone when it is complete."</p><p>Stannis clenched his jaw at that. "Very well, I will depart at once for the capital."</p><p>“My lord, please, surely it can wait just a little longer.” His wife pleaded, placing his hand upon her round belly.</p><p>Ned knew little of Lady Jacaera Baratheon, save that she was a Velaryon by birth, and the Niece of the Mad King’s Master of Ships. That and the rumors…</p><p>She was rather comely woman, even in her current state, with beautiful blue eyes, well defined features, and silvery-blond curls that flowed all the way to her waist.</p><p>“I will do as my brother commands.” Stannis told the lady, which had silenced her. She was none too pleased, Ned could see, but there was nothing she could do to change it.</p><p>The remainder of Breakfast passed without note. Ned met the man, Davos Seaworth, who had smuggled in the food that had saved Stannis and his garrison, and another man, Donal Noye who had lost his arm during the siege, who had forged Robert's warhammer. He also noted some of the other men gave him looks of disgust, and he had told Ned that he was off to take the Black.</p><p>Once Breakfast was done though, Ned and his men left the castle and began riding south. As the enormous castle began to get smaller in the distance, Ethan Glover finally began to speak of the rumor he had heard.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>There's only two more chapters left in late 283 AC now. The next chapter is the Tower of Joy, and I was strongly considering combining it with this one, though at the same time though, I need a different POV in between this one and the last chapter which also will be from Ned's POV.<br/>We don’t know exactly how Ned and company found the Tower of Joy, but for the sake of this fic, I went with the assumption that Ethan Glover had heard something.<br/>You’ll notice that Stannis is married, and it’s not to Selyse. So far they have sons, Ormund (3), Lyonel (2), Alaric (not quite 1), and the babe on the way, Ronnal.<br/>Thank you for reading this far, and please comment to let me know what you guys think about the story.<br/>I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Howland I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Howland</p><p>Before them was a round tower. They had heard screams emitting from the tower shortly after it had become visible, which had led to Lord Eddard urging his horse faster. This must be where she is, Howland had realized.</p><p>Before them though stood three men, all garbed and cloaked in the armor and white cloaks of the Kingsguard. Howland knew them from the Tourney two years prior.</p><p>Ser Oswell Whent stood to the left with his black bat on his helm. In the middle stood Ser Gerold Hightower, an older man who had been Lord Commander of the Kingsguard for over twenty years. And to the right stood Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, with silvery blond hair.</p><p>For the nonce, they had their swords sheathed. They were seven against three, Howland noted. We may yet stand a chance.</p><p>Lord Eddard quickly dismounted his horse, while Howland and the others followed suit.</p><p>"Why were you not at the Trident sers?" Lord William Dustin demanded.</p><p>"We had other orders," Ser Gerold told them.</p><p>"Woe to the usurper if we had been." Ser Oswell said.</p><p>"Yet you were not at King's Landing either when it fell. I had expected to find you there, guarding your king, yet I found Ser Jaime Lannister sitting atop the throne with the king dead at its foot." Said Lord Eddard, whilst another scream was emitted from the tower, causing him to grimace.</p><p>"We were here, doing our duty." Ser Arthur replied.</p><p>"Your prince's wife and children were left unguarded, and it was for me to save them." Lord Eddard told them. "I had thought to find you defending them, yet your were not."</p><p>"And for that I thank you. You are a good man Lord Eddard, but orders are orders." Ser Gerold responded.</p><p>"Why aren't you on Dragonstone, with the former prince, and queen?" Ser Mark asked.</p><p>"Our prince ordered us here." Ser Oswell said. "To remain with Lady Lyanna, and guard her from all who would harm her."</p><p>Another scream came from the tower. Howland heard another woman's voice within it as well, though he did not know who it belonged to.</p><p>"Aye, yet Rhaegar is dead and beneath the ground while Robert is king." Theo said.</p><p>"The usurper is a false king." Ser Oswell replied as he drew his sword, and his brothers followed suit.</p><p>Next to him, Lord William, Theo, Ser Mark and Ethan drew their swords. Howland though who was next to Lord Eddard saw that he was not choosing to draw his own.</p><p>"But I hold your king," Lord Eddard told them. "If you will not stand down in Robert's name, step down in Aegon's. You would waste the lives of good men here, blood that need not be shed."</p><p>"We were given orders by the prince, and we swore a vow." Ser Gerold responded.</p><p>"Aye, but he and the Mad King are dead. Aegon is under my care and protection now, and in his name I ask you to sheath your swords." Lord Eddard said. "I can offer you positions in my household, where you can protect your princes and princess. You can guard them from those who would want them dead."</p><p>"And what of Lady Lyanna, and her child?" Ser Arthur asked.</p><p>Howland began to realize now just why they could not yield. Should Robert ever find out that Rhaegar had a child on Lyanna, he would not be anywhere as merciful as he had been towards the other Targaryen babes.</p><p>"Let me pass, so I can see her." Lord Eddard told them.</p><p>"And your men?" Asked Ser Oswell.</p><p>"They are all loyal men. They will not divulge any of this without my leave to do so." He replied.</p><p>Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, was the first to sheath his sword. "Let them pass." He told his fellow brothers, and they followed him in sheathing their swords.</p><p>Howland noted the others were sheathing their swords as well.</p><p>Another scream came from the tower, and Lord Eddard ran forward. Howland followed close behind him into the tower. They had to go single file into the tower, with Howland being behind Ser Mark and in front of Martyn Cassel. The stairs were spiraled, and in front of their column, Lord Eddard was taking steps three at a time, and Howland lost sight of him quickly as he was going much faster than the rest of his companions.</p><p>"Lyanna," Lord Eddard called out.</p><p>From the outside, Howland had seen that the tower was windowless save for at the very top.</p><p>At some point while he and the others followed their lord to the top of the tower they heard a door crash against a wall above them.</p><p>Shortly after, they made it to the door, and they entered the only room that it would seem the tower had.</p><p>Lord Eddard stood near a bed, that Lady Lyanna laid upon, the sheets red with blood, holding what Howland figured could only be Lady Lyanna's babe in her arms.</p><p>"His name is Jaeherys," Howland heard Lyanna telling Eddard. "But I suppose you will need to call him something else though."</p><p>"I will name him Jon," Lord Eddard said to her. Howland noted his eyes were wet with tears.</p><p>"Good," she replied. "Promise me though Ned, promise me that you will protect him."</p><p>"I… I will," he promised.</p><p>Howland saw her began to sit back. He could faintly hear her whispering, "promise me," as her eyes closed for the last time.</p><p>Lord Eddard continued to hold the babe in one arm while holding his sister in the other. Her breathing had slowed, and within the hour it had ceased entirely.</p><p>It seemed like hours before Lord Eddard finally rose to address his companions. Tears still ran from his stone grey eyes.</p><p>"This babe that I hold, is from now on my bastard son, Jon. It will be for us to keep what has happened here a secret." He told them. Howland nodded and saw the others were doing the same.</p><p>"My lord, I am sorry for your loss," Lord William said to him. The rest of them in turn offered their condolences to their lord.</p><p>It was Theo Wull who finally asked about the woman in the corner.</p><p>"What should we do with her, my lord?" He asked.</p><p>"M'lords and sers, I was brought here to attend to Lady Lyanna and help her with the birth, and serve as a wet nurse if need be." She told them.</p><p>"Well, it would seem that we are in need of a wet nurse." Martyn commented.</p><p>"What is your name?" Howland asked her.</p><p>"Wylla, if it please you m'lord." She responded.</p><p>"I need your word that you will speak to no one of what has happened here." Lord Eddard said.</p><p>"I give you my word, m'lord."</p><p>Soon after they began to descend the tower.</p><p>At the foot of the tower stood the White Knights.</p><p>They lingered near the Tower of Joy for half a day, preparing to set off back North. Ned wanted to tear the entire tower down, which had proved easier than it seemed. They then began to journey north, numbering two and ten, into the Red Dornish Mountains.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes</p><p>I haven't been too happy with these first few chapters taking place in 283, and they have been more functional than anything else. Luckily there's only one more of these and then I can jump forward to 298. They all have been shorter than I would've liked, and I might eventually come back and rewrite these.</p><p>Notice how I didn't use the exact same dialogue that we had in Ned's fever dream during AGOT? There's a reason for that. For one, there's a bit different context around this scene with Elia and her children still living. But more importantly, blindly copying a pasting the dialogue from that specific scene is just insane in my opinion. Keep in mind, those are almost certainly not the verbatim minutes of the meeting at the Tower of Joy. Ned remembers this during a fever dream, where plenty of details seem off and weird anyways. The conversation may have played out somewhat similar to how Ned remembered it, but it's highly unlikely that those are the exact words that were spoken. And it does seem a bit odd that Ned is the only one to say anything while his companions remain silent. There's only one taunt that I pulled straight from the fever dream, and another that's in pretty different context and that's it.</p><p>Please comment to let me know what you think of the story so far.</p><p>Much as I may wish that I do, I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Eddard II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Eddard</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing at the prow of the ship, Ned could see Dragonstone, the ancestral fortress of House Targaryen in front of him. The winds had not been favorable, and it had been two days since they had set sail from King's Landing. Luckily, they had not been caught in the storm as the remaining Targaryen fleet had been. To hear some chance fisherfolk they had encountered tell it, the entire fleet had been destroyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Other ships had already landed, and men were disembarking. There didn't seem to be any opposition though, which was good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would be sailing North after the island fell, which it seemed that it had. Back to White Harbor and from there to Winterfell. Down below were Prince Rhaegar's children and the former white cloaks. Ser Barristan Selmy had joined them as well, choosing to give up the White Cloak that had been offered by Robert, to defend the former princes and princess. Robert had loathed to not be able to give the man a spot on his Kingsguard, and as Lord Commander no less, but had allowed the knight to take up service with his childhood friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned had originally thought to ride North following the King's Road back to Winterfell, meeting with his Lady wife and their son along the way, though with the three babes, and Rhaenys, the faster they could make it to Winterfell, the better he had decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went below deck to find Rhaenys was chasing after her cat, followed by Ser Oswell Whent. The Black Dread returns to Dragonstone, Ned thought to himself. One of the babes was crying as well. Daemon most like, Ned thought. He had begun teething of late, and they had all suffered for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The new royal fleet so far consisted of 40 warships, each with over 200 oars. Lord Stannis commanded from the largest of them, King Robert's hammer, which boasted 400 oars. Ned sailed on Lady Lyanna, the ship named for his sister, and Robert's betrothed. Oh Lya, he thought sadly. Jon had taken ill of late, though seemed to be recovering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned sat down next to Ser Barristan Selmy, and took Jon from the wetnurse who they had gotten shortly after departing Starfall, leaving Wylla behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Lady Ashara… She had been with child as well. Brandon's child, to hear her tell it. She had made trips to the Black Cells to visit him she said. Thankfully, the girl, Jeyne, he had named her, looked enough alike Jon pass as his twin sister. More than alike, even, Ned noted, even if they were still a little young.  And they were the same age too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Ned's mind drifted through thought when the former princess made her second pass by him, giggling as she did. He prayed that Rhaenys, Aegon and Daemon would not be bitter about the lives they had been taken from when they were so young, once they learned the truth. Hopefully, Jon would never need to find out the truth though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was not long after that they landed on Dragonstone. Only Ser Arthur and twenty men at arms joined Ned in coming ashore. They would not linger long here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The towers, Ned noted to be in the shape of dragons, and the walls were covered in gargoyles. The dragon banners that had been flown earlier were being taken down, and replaced with the crowned stag of the Baratheons. The gates were open, and he saw that some of Lord Stannis's men were beginning to take up positions on the battlements.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned walked the citadel for a bit, with the great volcanic mountain looming over him, before he eventually entered the chamber of the painted table. Lord Stannis stood at the end of the table with some knights and lords attending him. He saw Ser Justin Massey who had been Robert's squire during the war, and Ser Richard Horpe who had proved his valor during the war standing closest to the young lord.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How many men were lost in taking the castle, my lord?" Ned asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Three of our own to some fools who thought they would be able to restore the Targaryen dynasty. Four and ten of the garrison, it makes no matter. Most chose to bend the knee and swear fealty to Robert than to lose their heads." Lord Stannis told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last of Westeros had been conquered, Ned thought. In King's Landing, after Ned had returned from Storm's End and Dorne, they had been getting letters from the Lords of the Narrow Sea, announcing their intentions to bend the knee. Celtigar, Bar Emmon, and all the rest had come to King's Landing for Robert's wedding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though most the Lords of the are had not remained loyal to Aerys. Lord Stannis’s Velaryon wife had won them house Velaryon’s allegiances during the war, while Lord Walder Frey’s wife of House Rosby had delivered them to their banners, and House Stokeworth as well. And the people of Duskendale were hardly fond of the mad king.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been the Velaryons who had done battle with what remained of the Targaryen fleet, sinking most of their ships not far from Dragonstone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned thought back to the wedding night in King’s Landing. The wedding had been the most lavish Ned had ever seen, certainly more so than the hastily done marriage between himself and Catelyn, even with Jon also being married in the double ceremony. Robert had stood before the altar, clean shaven and muscled like a maiden's fantasy, while Lady Cersei, now the queen, had looked to be the most beautiful woman Ned had ever seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you found Aerys's wife or son yet?" Ned asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No my lord," one of the men that Ned did not know answered. "To hear the tales, Ser Willem Darry fled, only a few hours before we began to storm the castle. He would've taken the Queen as well, or the babe that she bore, were it not for the fact that the babe was coming into the world at that very time, leaving both unable to flee. We were told that the Queen had begged Ser Willem to leave her behind, and flee with her son."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned noted that Ser Arthur had begun to move. If he did not say it first, Ser Arthur would, and that wouldn't be good. "Take me to them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The girl is down in the nursery, my lord, I can take you to the babe, though the Queen died in the birthing bed, and her body was burned." The man said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned and Ser Arthur went down to the nursery. They were followed by Lord Stannis as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell me Lord Stark, what is it that you intend to do with the babe?" Stannis asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> "Protect her and raise her, with her niece and nephews. She has not committed any crimes to speak of, it would not be right to condemn her to a fate such as death." Ned told him. "Robert may be wroth that Viserys escaped our grasp, but there is little and less that the little princling could do to us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what will you do with them when they come of age?" He further inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do not know. Perhaps the boys Aegon and Daemon will be sent to the Wall, or the citadel or the faith. Perhaps they may win great renown and knighthoods and take white cloaks. Or they may be given some holdings. As for the girls, Rhaenys, and what is this other girl's name?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daenerys." The other man who was leading them replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will join the faith and become septas, or be given some decent marriages. If the babe that Queen Cersei is said to be carrying now is a son, perhaps then he could wed one of the two girls and they would become queen." Ned finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wedding had taken place only three months before, yet the Queen was already with child, perhaps the realm would be safe, Ned thought to himself. Though Robert had seemed insistent that if he should have a daughter she would be married to Robb so that they could join their houses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was not long before they came upon the nursery. There were already two guards that had been posted outside the door. "Let us through," Stannis commanded them, and so they did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside there were another four more guards posted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only others were a man who looked no older than thirty, who had a Maester's chain about his neck, and a wet nurse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who are you?" Ned asked them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am maester Edwyle, the man who the Citadel had assigned to Dragonstone, if it pleases your lordship." The man told him. He was a thin man with long limbs, brown eyes, a full head of brown hair neatly trimmed and a short brown beard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will be sending for another maester, who will serve here in your place," Stannis said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will then prepare to return to Oldtown then my lord, no doubt they will have somewhere else for me to go." The Maester replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Ned put in. "I have a need of you. I have now six babes travelling north with me and will possibly be met with a seventh on my journey North. My Maester died during the Rebellion, so I will have a need for a new one, and that one shall be you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well then, my lord, I shall prepare to depart at once. We should be able to depart on the morrow I think." Maester Edwyle said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We will also be bringing the Targaryen girl as well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well in that case, Eleyna you had best prepare as well." The Maester told the wet nurse who had remained silent to that point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned and Arthur then departed from the nursery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scarcely remembered what had happened the rest of the day. Ned and Stannis had decided that a twenty ship escort North to prevent the babes and Warden of the North from possibly falling into the hands of Targaryen loyalists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The men had come ashore for the night, hoping to get a good night's rest on dry land before they set sail again on the morrow. Martyn Cassel in particular had been thankful to be off the boat, after he had spent the past two days retching up all that he ate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If the winds were favorable, they could make it to White Harbor by the new moon, and if they could keep up good pace, Winterfell within a fortnight of that. It would be good to see home again, Ned felt, and meet the wife and son he did not know. To raise the babes and start a family of his own, after all he had lost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Ned and his men ate a light breakfast, save Martyn who hoped he might be able to keep the meal down for once. It was only an hour before midday that they were able to depart, but as they were back on the open water, with the great Black fortress disappearing behind them, Ned was glad to be going home.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>This is the last chapter that takes place in late 283 AC (Actually I suppose this is 284 now), and in the next chapter we will be jumping forward to the beginning of 298 AC at Winterfell.</p><p>As I mentioned in my notes for the last chapter, these chapters have really just been functional for me to set up the story at hand. This one was by far the easiest to write for me. Each of these has been a little short for my liking, as I would want them to be at least 2k words each, but for now, these will probably remain as they are.</p><p>Yes, Jon has a "twin" sister in this story. I chose Jeyne as a name in part because Jeyne starts with a J, like Jon, which makes it seem as though those were the two names that Ashara had picked out for whatever kid she gave birth to.</p><p>Yes, Cersei is pregnant, but not with Joffrey. You will find out in a chapter or two who this child is.</p><p>Maester Edwyle is not replacing Maester Luwin. Ned just isn't aware that Catelyn is bringing Maester Luwin north.</p><p>I think I've rambled on long enough here, kudos, bookmarks and comments are very much appreciated.</p><p>And as always, I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Rhaenys I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rhaenys</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys awoke to someone knocking on the doors to her chambers. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Theon had already been awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lord, Lord Eddard is requesting your presence." A voice called from the other side of the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell him that I am coming." Theon replied, as he began to adjust Rhaenys's arm which was positioned on his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Theon, please stay," she asked him as she grabbed his arm and put it on her very round belly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, but we mustn't disobey the will of Lord Eddard," Theon said in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, but then come back as soon as you can," Rhaenys demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will," he promised as he rose and began to put on his smallclothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Help me up," she told him, and he did without objection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys had found it difficult of late to even stand on her own power. Casella hadn't been anywhere near as troublesome as this little squidling was proving to be, and she could scarcely handle her now, Rhaenys thought. Hopefully this one doesn't prove to be worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Casella was three now and went everywhere with Rickon who was just as wild. No doubt the two were together now, wreaking havoc upon the castle, as Robb, Jon, Daemon and Aegon once had when they were young.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon then began to finish dressing before turning to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be long then, I would hate for you to be gone when this one decides to come into the world," she chided. "They way he moves inside of me, I have half a mind to think you put a kraken in me, not a babe."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon smiled at that. "Mayhaps I have, though Lord Eddard won't be needing me long I'm sure. But if he does…" His voiced trailed off as he planted a kiss on her cheek. He then turned and walked out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys knew she should get dressed as well. She was clad in nothing save a rather loose fitting shift. She put on a blue dress that she borrowed from Lady Catelyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once she had finished, she went to go see whatever mischief Casella was up to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After looking around the castle for a while, she found her and Rickon with Daenerys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mother!" Her daughter exclaimed when he saw her. "Aunt Daenerys is reading to us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys smiled a little at that. Daenerys was her aunt, yet three years younger than her, so they had a more sisterly relationship than anything else. Luckily though, Daenerys was old enough to be an aunt to Casella, and the other squidling inside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you reading about?" She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The reign of King Daeron the first, the Young Dragon," Rickon said happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys took her seat next to her daughter, who she put her arm around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sadly, King Daeron's reconquering of Dorne ended in his death, as he was lured into a trap under a peace banner, and was slain at only eight and ten. Three of his white cloaks were slain as well, and a fourth surrendered while Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, his brother, was captured. He died at eight and ten, unwed with no royal issue of his own to succeed him, so the throne passed to his brother, King Baelor the Blessed." Daenerys finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why didn't he marry?" Casella asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because he spent his time warring and died young, Casella. He should've known better than to think he could conquer Dorne, and perhaps he should've taken a Martell to wife instead as King Daeron II did,” Rhaenys explained before Daenerys did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why are you wed mother?" Casella asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because I love your father." She told her. It was only half of the truth, but Rhaenys felt Goren didn't need to know it. Oh, she liked Theon well enough, but that was not the only reason they had wed. She had tricked him into bedding her, when she was no older than Daenerys, with every intent on being caught by a servant. The servant had gone to Lord Eddard, and scolded Theon for dishonouring a noble lady by taking her maidenhead, and ordered the two be wed to preserve her honor. She had given him her maidenhead, and one day he would make her Lady of Pyke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt the baby give a hard kick inside of her, no doubt scolding her from inside the womb at her terrible thoughts. Yes mother, she thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her own mother she had only seen four times, since they parted when she was three, with her last being for her wedding. She resided in Sunspear with her brothers. Uncle Oberyn had visited 3 more times on his own accord without her mother, and he said that Princess Elia was sadly too frail to make the trip North.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys began reading to Casella and Rickon about King Baelor's reign, though Rhaenys scarce listened, lost in her own thoughts, only being brought to attention by the movements of the babe inside her, and the babe beside her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was some time before a head popped in to the door, who for a second she thought to be Jon, before she saw the hair was too long and remembered it was Jeyne. Jon and Jeyne had been inseparable as children and had even been known to pretend to be each other with no one noticing. Mayhaps if their mother was here, there would've been someone to tell the difference, but it had not been until recently when Jeyne began to grow breasts while Jon's chest remained flat, and Jon had started to get hairs on his face while Jeyne's had not, and Jon had grown taller than her that most could tell the difference between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it Jeyne?" She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is some important news that Maester Luwin just received. You'll need to see him about it though." Jeyne told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, I'll see him later." She told her, and Jeyne turned and began to leave before Rhaenys stopped her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you know where Theon is?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He went with Lord Eddard to go execute a deserter from the Watch, they should be returning soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Jeyne finally left. Rhaenys got up with some help from Daenerys before going out to the courtyard, where the men at arms were training. She saw Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan were going against one another, drawing the attention of all those around them. They were the two finest swords Rhaenys had ever seen, even better than Lord Eddard, or Ser Rodrik or Ser Oswell who had been their fellow brother. They were not fighting with live blades it seemed, since Ser Arthur was not wielding Dawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was almost an hour before the men who had ridden out to execute the deserter returned. They were led by Jon and Robb who had something in their arms. Bran, Theon, Jory, Lord Eddard, Daemon and Aegon all were returning as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not long after, Rhaenys discovered that Robb and Jon had been holding direwolf pups, as Rhaenys heard the children arguing over names in the kitchens. She had simply looked to Theon and giggled at the whole display. When Casella had asked about whether or not she had a direwolf, Theon had given her a smirk, while Rhaenys had to explain that only the Starks got direwolves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon Aegon came to the kitchens, and told Rhaenys that she needed to see Master Edwyle, whom she had not spoken to yet. So Rhaenys took the short walk to Maester's Turrent, accompanied by Aegon, and Theon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maester Edwyle sat at his desk, and bid them be seated as well, though Aegon turned and left, since he must have already heard whatever was so pressing. Some of his hairs had begun to grey, but Maester Edwyle looked hardly different from what he had ten years prior, if not even before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lord, my lady, there was a raven from the capital earlier. King Robert's Hand, Lord Jon Arryn, has died, and now the king rides to Winterfell, with all his court." The man told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, she thought, this cannot be happening. Theon protectively put his arm around her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will the Lannisters be coming as well?" Theon asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, the King rides with all his court and should most like be here within a moon's turn." Maester Edwyle informed them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, no, no, this cannot be, Rhaenys thought, as she looked down. Just then she felt a pain in her stomach, so bad she could not help but scream. No, please not now either, she thought. Another pain hit her, and she cried out again. She began to hear the Maester begin instructing Theon, and calling for other servants to help move her. The pain was unbearable, and one that she had only experienced once before, when Casella had come into the world, only this one was much worse.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>And I'm back with another chapter.<br/>I wasn't too pleased with this one, and I feel like I lost quite a lot of momentum with it halfway through, and just wanted this chapter to be done and over with, which is why it feels extremely rushed to me.<br/>A few notes:<br/>Ned is claiming both Jon and Jeyne as his own. Yes, he could say they are both Brandon's bastards, but he wouldn't retroactively dishonor Brandon by naming him as the father to a babe that he is not the father to.<br/>Second, Ser Gerold Hightower is dead at this point. As fun as it may be to have him around as a character, he was already an old man during the Rebellion. He had been risen to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard over 20 years earlier, and likely was at least 30 to 40 years old at that point. Generally even making it to like 50 is considered quite the accomplishment in Westeros, and Gerold is probably close to if not fully 80 years old in a world where the medical technology is certainly nowhere near what it is today.<br/>The thing with Jon and Jeyne passing for each other is that it's in line with the rest of ASOIAF where every case of twins sees the two pass for each other, and Jon and Jeyne are no different.<br/>Yes, Rhaenys seduced Theon in this alternate universe.<br/>Why? Well, she knew Theon to be one to often make trips to brothels and whatnot, and that he had no trouble bedding them. Plus she would've heard Ned scolding Theon probably once or twice over it, saying that were it not for them being whores, he would've had him marry them.<br/>And given that Theon is heir to the Pyke, it's probably the best marriage she could get for herself to try restore some of the political power she had when she was a Princess. Plus, she maybe would've heard Ned talking about sending her to the Faith or something, and eventually having Aegon and Daemon go to the Wall, which this completely nixes.<br/>Additionally, let the Kraken wed the Dragon and the world shall tremble.<br/>Please follow, fav and review.<br/>And remember, I do not own ASOIAF</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Robb I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Robb</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As their soon to be guests streamed into Winterfell, Robb realized he had never seen so many people that he didn't know before, all at once. To hear father tell it, there was three hundred in the King's Party. Robb stood to the right of his father, and to Robb's right was Sansa, followed by Arya, Bran and Theon with Rhaenys, Casella and their newborn son, Goren.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somewhere behind him, Jon and Jeyne stood next to each other he knew, while Daenerys, Aegon and Daemon were all hidden much further out of sight. Only Rhaenys stood in front because she was Theon's wife, and she had taken on the Dornish features of her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb was only able to guess a handful of the riders as they entered. There was a large man with black hair at the head of the party, flanked by two knights in gold cloaks who Robb figured must be the king, Robert Baratheon, though father didn't seem to show much recognition in his face. He saw a man dressed in golden armor, with golden hair, who he figured could only be the Kingslayer. There was a man marked with terrible burns on the left side of his face who was clearly the Hound. Next to him was a tall boy who seemed almost as golden as the Kingslayer, who Robb deduced to be the crown prince, Joffrey. And riding after them was a man so short that Robb knew could only be the Imp, Tyrion Lannister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The large man who Robb had gathered to be King Robert dismounted and then promptly crushed father in a hug. "Ned! Ah, but it is good to see that frozen face of yours." The king looked him over top to bottom, and laughed. "You have not changed at all." Robb noted this king barely resembled the man father had told him and his siblings stories of. He towered over most, but it would seem that the king had put on weight since he took the throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your Grace. Winterfell is yours," father replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By then the others were dismounting as well, and grooms were coming forward for their mounts. Robert's queen, Cersei Lannister, entered on foot with other children. The wheelhouse in which they had ridden, a huge double-decked carriage of oiled oak and gilded metal pulled by forty heavy draft horses, was too wide to pass through the castle gate. Father knelt in the snow to kiss the queen's ring, while Robert embraced Mother like a long-lost sister. Then Robb, and the rest of his siblings were introduced to the King and Queen as well as their own children. The King had even shaked Robb's hand, which he had not expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb had been right when he had guessed Prince Joffrey, and from the carriage came the Princesses Myrcella, Prince Tommen and Princess Lanna. Up close, Prince Joffrey was definitely tall for his age, taller than he was even, and he and all his younger siblings seemed to have taken their mother's golden hair and green eyes, just as Robb and all his siblings save Arya had taken their own mother's auburn hair and blue eyes. Princess Myrcella seemed to be on the cusp of womanhood, and was almost as beautiful as her mother. Prince Tommen was a chubby boy who seemed to be as old as Bran, that had the same golden features of the queen, while young Princess Lanna could not have been any more than five, Robb judged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No sooner than the formalities were completed, that the King had told father, "Take me down to your crypt, Eddard. I would pay my respects."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father called for a lantern. Whilst the queen had begun to protest. They had been riding since dawn, everyone was tired and cold and surely they should refresh themselves first. The dead would wait. She had said no more than that before the King had looked at her, and her twin brother Ser Jaime had taken her quietly by the arm, and she had said no more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two men who father had described as being as close as brothers, then went down into the crypts beneath Winterfell, leaving the rest of the king's party.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mother then began giving instructions to the household. She ordered Robb and Sansa to see the King's children to their chambers. Robb noted that Sansa who had been previously smiling shyly at Prince Joffrey before, blushed so hard that for a moment, her face was almost as red as her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb tried to save Sansa by engaging with the others in smalltalk, though they seemed more interested in resting after what was no doubt weeks of travel, and so Robb then began to think about what father and the king were talking about. Robb knew that King Robert had come to name father Hand, yet Robb also knew these men had not seen each other for what must have been at least 6 years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew that before the rebellion, King Robert had been betrothed to Aunt Lyanna, until Prince Rhaegar had run off with the now king's bride-to-be, and she had died the day when father had finally come to get her back in the Mountains of Dorne, though father rarely supplied more detail than that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb went to find Greywind after that. The pup was growing quite fast, and was larger than any common wolf would be at his age. Robb went to the Godswood with Greywind by his side, though near the guest houses, they encountered Princess Myrcella.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greywind jumped on the princess, and the princess in her shock had fallen to the ground. "Greywind, get off the princess," Robb told the wolf. At his command, the direwolf got off, and Robb offered a hand to help her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fastest way to please a woman is to compliment her name, he dimly remembered Sansa had once said, though he wasn’t so sure that their direwolf attacking them would do the trick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, your grace, he doesn't often pounce on strangers," Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay, my lord, he did not hurt me," said Myrcella as she took Robb's hand and rose, before she began to dust herself off. "You ought to teach your wolf to behave better though in the future, else I'm not like to let you keep him around" she scolded him, as she turned and walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what had she meant by that? Robb thought to himself. She was only to be here for as long as the King would be here. So why had she sounded like she was staying?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are going to be the death of me, I swear it," Robb told Greywind once the Princess Myrcella was a safe distance away. The grey wolf didn't even seem to acknowledge Robb's words. "I thought I had taught you better than that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb then continued to go about his day. The castle was filled with new faces, and Robb used his time to try and put names to those new faces. Not only were there the three hundred members of the King's Party, but many a Northern lord had arrived in the days prior. Just the day prior, Lord Galbart Glover and his brother Robett had arrived, and other arrivals were likely to come soon. And that did not include those who had joined the King's Party, Like Lord Ryswell and his quarrelsome sons, Lord William Dustin and and two of his sons, Cregan and Beron, Ser Wendel and Ser Wylis Manderly of White Harbour and Lord Flint of Flint's Finger. Some, like Lady Mormont and two of her daughters, and the Greatjon were still on their way as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spoke for a while with Prince Tommen, the King's younger son, who must have been told by his sister about Greywind, as he seemed shy around him, and only grew more confident as he spent more time with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the training yard, Robb faced off against some of the men in the King's Party. Ser Justin Massey who had been the King's Squire during the rebellion had been seemingly evenly matched with Robb before Robb began to tire and Ser Justin showed his far superior skill. But Robb had been able to win against Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard, who once may have been a good fighter, but now seemed to be a fat old man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spoke to half a hundred others, before he saw Bran climbing, and had to tell him to come down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, Robb found Aegon conversing with Ser Oswell Whent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hiding from the King, are you?" Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aye," Aegon responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was not long after that Robb encountered his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb, come with me to my solar," his father told him. "We have much to discuss."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is it Greywind?" Robb asked. If the princess had told the Queen, the Queen might want the wolf to be put down, Robb thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, what is there to speak of with the wolf?" His father replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought…" Robb said as he trailed off. So this didn't have anything to do with the princess or Greywind. But what else would need to be talked about with such urgency.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn't speak again until they reached the solar. It was here that cool Lord Eddard ruled, and the warm man that Robb called father disappeared, so why had he been brought here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb…" Father began, as his voice started to trail off. When he spoke again, father's voice was all but gone, and it was Lord Eddard speaking to him. "I had not thought to discuss this matter for a few more years, if at all, yet it would seem as though it is being forced upon me. You will be five and ten on your next nameday, and someday it will be your responsibility to rule Winterfell. I pray that day does not come for many years, but when that day comes, you will need a wife with whom you can father trueborn children who will carry on after you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you received an offer?" Robb asked, and before Lord Eddard could reply, Robb already knew the answer and who was being offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once more, it was Lord Eddard who responded, "I have. His grace not only offered me the position of Hand of the King, but two marriages. I have already spoken to Sansa, and if I accept, she will be promised to Prince Joffrey, though I have not yet decided. But his grace and I, have already agreed to have his eldest daughter, Princess Myrcella marry you. She is maid of three and ten, and has flowered. His grace would have you wed her here at Winterfell, before he returns south, even if I do not go with him." Then, Lord Eddard was gone, and father had returned. "If you wish to wait until you are older, I'm sure his grace would understand, even if he may be wroth a little for it.." He finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb looked at Greywind and his yellow eyes, that seemed for just a moment to be as golden as the Princesses’s hair, and knew his choice then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, if I am to wed her, I'll wed her while they are here. But I must needs get ready" Robb told his father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, you should be ready soon, the king intends to announce the match tonight, during the feast, which you should be changed for," father replied. He was thinking about earlier when he had encountered her. That is why she had told Robb to teach his direwolf better manners, he realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What else has his grace offered?" Robb asked, wanting to know before he made his decision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As expected he offered to name me Hand of the King, but also offered to betroth Sansa to Prince Joffrey." His father told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you mean to accept?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As of now, I do not know, but there is one other matter to discuss." said a returning Lord Eddard. "If I am to become the King's Hand and accept his grace's offer, I mean to leave you here at Winterfell and you will rule in my absence. I have not decided which, if any of your siblings I will take, and who from the household, however, I know that you will not be coming south with me, if I go. And, I need you to let me know when you have your answer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb lingered in the solar for a moment. This would all be his someday he knew, and perhaps he might have to have a similar conversation as this with his own sons. Before he turned and left, off to bid his apologizes.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>I would've gotten this out a little earlier, but unfortunately, life got in the way, literally just as I was finishing up with my last little revisions. As I mentioned, this was pulled from a different, now scraped fic, and all I really had to do was go back and rework a few things. In the future, my updates will most likely be a little less frequent since most of these chapters that I've already updated I already had fully or at least partially done. I also haven't hit any significant writers block yet, which has helped, and fingers crossed I continue to avoid it.</p><p>Something I neglected to mention in the last chapter's notes, is that Ser Richard Horpe filled Ser Barristan's slot on the Kingsguard, while Ser Jaime has been promoted to Lord Commander as the most senior member, and the best fighter. Don't worry though, Ser Richard went to Dragonstone with Stannis, since Stannis is still a member of the royal family.</p><p>Surprise, the baby that Cersei was pregnant with in the Eddard II chapter was an aged up Myrcella. You’ll notice that there’s more children here too, with in addition to Myrcella being thirteen, and Joffrey being twelve and Tommen being seven, we also have the Loren who is two, Lanna who is five, and not appearing in this chapter at all, Marla, who is ten (she’s currently a ward in the Vale).</p><p>This is my first chapter that's over the 2k mark before author notes. I would like these to be in the 2.5-3k range, pretty consistently, at least, but for now I'll take what I can get. Hopefully in the future I can get these chapters longer than this.</p><p>The only reason why I'm putting Roman Numerals on the Chapter Titles is the fact that the website will not let me have multiple chapters with the same title (grgg).</p><p>Next chapter will be the welcoming feast, with a different POV from in the original story.</p><p>Please comment, bookmark and leave kudos. Your feedback is highly appreciated.</p><p>And in case you were wondering, no I still do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Jeyne I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jeyne</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all of Jeyne's years of living at Winterfell, she had never once seen the Great Hall so crowded. The King had truly brought his court from the South, and many a lord had come to Winterfell in honor of the King having come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon the Walls, more than the usual Stark direwolf, and crowned Baratheon stag, now with the lion of Lannister, the sun of Karstark, the mailed fist of Glover, the merman of Manderly, twin crowned axes of Dustin, the horse head of Ryswell, the bear of Mormont, the chains of Umber and countless more banners now hung.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a singer, who could scare be heard of the loud clanger of dishes and the drunken conversation all around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had been seated along with Jon, below the raised dias where, the king and his family, and her own trueborn family were seated up there. Even Theon and his daughter, Casella had been allowed up there, though Rhaenys and Goren were seated lower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then there were tables with the other nobility that had come, like the Lords of the North, and highborn members of the King's court, before the lowest tables were those reserved for the men-at-arms, servants, freeriders and other members of the attendees households.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon sat beside her, getting drunk since father was not there to tell them no. No doubt father had let his trueborn children seated at the dias have a single cup of wine as befits the occasion, for Robb, perhaps two in honor of the occasion, but no more than that. Jeyne had only consumed two cups of wine though, and even that had taken its toll on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beneath their feet were Ghost and Silvermoon who they had snuck into the feast, again since father was not there to tell them no. They sat among the squires who Jon had insisted she come sit by, since he could not be one to be seen seated with all the young girls. They had been a little reluctant at first to let a girl among their company, but had let her be seated among them since she was the bastard daughter of Lord Eddard. Unfortunately though, she had been forced to put up with more than one rude and dirty jape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had told many wonderful stories of adventure with tales of battle and bedding and hunting. Jeyne found herself unsure of whether she would rather be here or with the ladies at the other table, like Rhaenys and Daenerys or at the high table with the king and his family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now it was the fourth hour of feasting for the night. Jeyne recalled how everyone had intensely looked upon when the visitors had made their entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father had come first with the Queen, who the tales did not lie about. She wore an emerald jeweled tiara amongst her curly golden brow. Father had even helped her as she walked up the stairs to the top of the dias, whilst the queen hadn't bothered to give him so much as a glance to acknowledge him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had been followed by the King himself, and Lady Catelyn. The king had been a true disappointment after all the tales that Jeyne had been told of him by father and those who had fought during the war. When she said as much to Jon, he had agreed with her. They both saw a fat, drunk, not the legendary hero that songs were sung of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then came the children. Prince Loren, Rickon and Casella had gone first, with as much dignity the three could muster. Rickon had stopped to talk to Jon before Jon had to encourage him to keep going with Casella tugging on his arm. The princling was a boy of barely three, while Rickon and Casella were nearly four. She couldn’t help but notice though that both Rickon and Casella looked more like King Robert than his own son did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran had gone next, finely dressed as befit his status, and for once Bran wasn't climbing, and he went forward with Princess Lanna next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After them had come Robb, who wore grey wool trimmed with white, the colors of house Stark. Taking his arm was the Princess Myrcella, who Jeyne had heard whispers that he was to wed while the king was at Winterfell. She might have asked her father to learn the truth of them, but she had decided not to, instead waiting until tomorrow before she would ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked a near perfect copy of her mother with her emerald green eyes, and golden blond hair, only the princess was a little shorter, and smaller, with seemingly some genuine sweetness to be found that could not in the woman who had birthed her. Jeyne noted the looks that Robb and Myrcella had stolen towards each other, and even Myrcella's slight, timid smiles that she gave. They seem to like each other well enough, Jeyne had thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Close behind came Sansa and Arya, escorted by the royal princes. Jeyne noted that Arya's brown hair was shorter than Tommen's golden hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And behind them came Sansa with Joffrey, who was taller than both Jon and Robb despite being two years their junior. Sansa looked lovely as always walking next to Joffrey, but Jeyne did not like the disdain that Joffrey was showing towards Winterfell, and his disinterest towards Sansa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling's younger children though, Jeyne noted had curly golden hair, and emerald green eyes, clearly taking after their mother, without a trace of their father in them, which struck Jeyne as odd, though she dismissed it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind them followed the Kingslayer and the Imp, the Queen's brothers. Both were finely dressed, but telling the two apart had not proved troublesome in the slightest. Ser Jaime was perhaps the most handsome man Jeyne had ever seen in her life, and looked the mirror image of his twin, like she did with Jon, while the Imp was half his height, crudely shapen, with two mismatched eyes and one of the most ugly men Jeyne had ever seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were followed by Uncle Benjen and Theon. Benjen had given Jeyne a warm smile as he passed, while Theon had not even looked over at her. Once seated, some toasts were made, the king announced the coming wedding between Robb and Myrcella, that as Jeyne had heard would be taking place in seven days' time, and then the feasting had begun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to her, Jon was feeding Ghost the remaining half of a honeyed chicken that was before them. Ghost began devouring it in silence, while Jeyne noted underneath the table that Silver's eyes looked on enviously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon's eyes though were being rubbed furiously from the smoke, and Jeyne heard him muttering curses about all the smoke in the hall, while he moved to take another drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the dogs that was in the hall caught the scent of the chicken Ghost was being fed, and tried to confront him over it. Despite being three times Ghost's size, the bitch had slunk away after Ghost had bared his teeth, before Ghost went back to eating the chicken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne not long afterwards found some further down the table and gave it to Silvermoon, who's silvery eyes looked at it with hunger when presented it, before Jeyne dropped it on the floor for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is this one of the direwolves I've heard so much of?" She heard a familiar voice asking close bye, and when she looked up, she saw it was Uncle Benjen talking to Jon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, his name is Ghost." Jon replied while Uncle Benjen began to ruffle his hair. The squire who was sitting next to Jon had been telling a story when he paused to move over so their Lord's brother could be seated. Benjen though chose to sit in between Jeyne and Jon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne observed her uncle, dressed in fine black velvet with his sharp features and gaunt look, was everything she imagined a brother of the Night's Watch should look. Benjen was still talking with Jon about being drunk, of Ghost, Lady Catelyn, and the Queen before matters turned to that of the Wall and the Night's Watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Take me with you when you go back to the Wall," Jon said in a sudden rush. "Father will give me leave to go if you ask him, I know he will."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Uncle Benjen had not sat between them, Jeyne knew that she would've slapped him across the face for being so stupid. Perhaps that might knock some sense into him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benjen looked at Jon for a few seconds, hesitating before he said his next words, no doubt studying him before he said, "The Wall is a hard place for a boy, Jon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am almost a man grown," Jon protested. "I will turn fifteen on my next name day, and Maester Luwin says bastards grow up faster than other children."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, but you can't leave me here alone, Jeyne thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's true enough," Uncle Benjen said as he took Jon's cup, filled it and drank from it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daeron Targaryen was only four and ten when he conquered Dorne," Jon said. And died at eight and ten, Jeyne thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A conquest that lasted a summer," their uncle pointed out. "He lost ten thousand men taking the place, and another fifty thousand trying to hold it. Someone should have told him that war isn't a game." He then took another sip of wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to serve in the Night's Watch, Uncle." Jon then proclaimed. Oh please just let it be the wine, Jeyne thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne then watched as Jon and their Uncle began to argue, quite loudly, and all the eyes of the table began to turn to watch them with them all falling silent, before Jon angrily declared "I will never father a bastard. Never!" He then looked around the table to see all eyes were on him, and then her twin bid himself to be excused, got up, stumbled into a serving girl, causing everyone to laugh, and left the hall, with Ghost at his heels, leaving Jeyne alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her uncle then turned to her. "And what about you, do you have any hopes of joining the Night's Watch?" He asked sarcastically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, and please help me convince Jon to stay." She begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, it's probably the wine that was speaking, not him. Tomorrow when he wakes up feeling terrible, he'll come to his senses and beg your forgiveness, if he even remembers at all." Benjen reassured her. "And, if not, I'm sure your father will tell him off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but what if he doesn't, and father lets him go join the Watch?" Jeyne asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, you will have your other siblings still to keep you company don't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb's going to get married though, and will have to spend time with his princess, and father will probably take the rest south with him when he becomes King Robert's Hand, and court is no place for a bastard." Jeyne replied. Her uncle though, only looked on with a neutral expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure that your father won't let Jon go, even if Jon still wants to. But in any case, he'll find something for you." He said, marking the end of the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They talked for a little while after that, about unimportant issues. At one point, Jeyne spotted the Imp reentering the Hall, and he had given her a nod that had puzzled her. Shortly afterwards though, her Uncle took his leave to return to the high table, and she and Silvermoon went over to where Daenerys was seated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the feast had passed without incident, and in time, she went to bed, where she found sleep to come remarkably easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She awoke the next morning, to Jon shaking her awake. "Jeyne, father wishes to speak with us." He told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon still looked terrible from the night before, but Jeyne quickly dressed herself, and then went with Jon to find their father. He was sitting in his solar, alone that morning, having already broken his fast there, she saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it father?" Jeyne asked when Jon had shut the door behind them, and she had taken her seat across from her father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean to accept his grace's offer to name me Hand of the King, and we will be going south with him by the current moon's end most like." Their father began to tell them. "I will be taking Sansa, Arya and Bran with me. Robb will remain here, with Rickon, and Lady Catelyn. However, Catelyn has refused to let you two stay here, without me being here as well. Maester Luwin told me that you, Jon, were interested in taking the Black. Do you still wish to?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, father." Jon responded, though Jeyne noticed that Jon had thought about it longer than he might have last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then I suppose you will be going to the Wall with Benjen when he returns. As for you Jeyne…" his voice trailed off. "I do not know. Court is no place for a bastard, and if I brought you there, you are like to be mocked and shamed. But I cannot keep you here either. You are almost a woman now, and I'm sure there are lords who would be willing to wed their son to a..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne cut him off. "Yes, father." This was going to happen at some point in her life, she had always known. She would have to leave Winterfell, and be wed to some man she scarce knew. With her father's status, it would likely be a better match than most for a bastard, but still not the same as a possible match that could be made for her trueborn siblings Sansa and Arya. Just, she had always hoped it would be later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will begin reaching out to some lords at once then." Her father said, and that was the end of their conversation. As Jeyne got up and began to walk out the door, she looked at Jon, feeling pity, that he would be forced to give up all hopes of a family, or lands, and then thought about her own future, with some stranger she did not know, and felt her stomach flutter.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>And I'm back with another chapter.</p><p>Like I mentioned in the last chapter's notes, I would like these to be a little longer, but for now, if I can get these to over 2k words without notes, I'll take it.</p><p>If you can't tell this chapter is for the most part a rewritten Jon I AGOT. I only directly pulled a few lines, but for the most part the descriptions and stuff follow along with the original chapter. I do get to saw that I patched one of the errors here because in the original chapter, Jon doesn't ever observe Bran entering the feast, which I made sure to include here.</p><p>During the past few days, I started to map out the story a little further, and Jeyne's role changed quite a bit as I thought about things more. Something else that I noted when I was mapping it out was that I had all my OC, and non-ASOIAF POVs all have chapters at the beginning section of 298 AC.</p><p>Robb and Myrcella's wedding won't take place for two more chapters. The reason for this is that I wanted a buffer between the opening feast and the actually wedding. And the opening feast in and of itself serves as a buffer between the scene where Robb and Myrcella's wedding is put forth, and when it actually happens.</p><p>Something else I forgot to mention is the Others have been semi-cut from the story. Yes, I did still have Gared being executed for deserting, and he did still run into them but it was them on their way to collect a baby from Craster (which is probably what they were doing in the first place). My personal theory as to why the Others have returned in the original story is that the humans peace agreement with the Others included the Lord's Right to the First Night, with babies born of it being sacrificed. Queen Alysanne tried to put a stop to it, but the practice continued. However, Ramsay, a child born of the Lord's Right to the First Night, wasn't given to them, and so the Others are here to collect their due. In this scenario though, Roose was a good Northerner, and gave baby Ramsay to the Watch, who then did what needed to be done. This also accounts for Domeric Bolton still being alive, as Reek didn't poison him out of jealousy, nor did Domeric seek out Ramsay since he didn't know he had a brother.</p><p>Next chapter may take a few days to come out, since I my internet access has been restricted of late.</p><p>Please be sure to comment to let me know how you feel about the story so far, and if you haven't already, please bookmark and leave kudos.</p><p>And just a friendly reminder that I still do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Alyssa I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alyssa</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alyssa was lying hunched up in bed. She had wrapped her blanket around her whilst she slept. The dreams weren’t nice. In her dreams, the dragons were always fighting. And when one was about to be victorious, another would come and pick her up, before it would go and fight the others. The one time she had gotten relief from the dragons was when the crow came, who would try to get her to fly, reminding her she was a falcon, and trying to get her to spread her wings, yet every time she tried, she just fell, though she woke before she hit the ground.</span>
</p><p> <span>She rose silently. Her mother was in the room next door, and she didn’t want to wake mother. Mother was always worried now, not nice like she used to be. Not since father died.</span></p><p> <span>Mother had tried to leave quickly after Father died, but it hadn’t helped. They had taken Sweetrobin anyway and the guards did nothing. When they reached Gulltown, Mother got rid of them. Edric had joined them there as well. He was the Lord of the Vale now father was dead, though he was only two and ten. Alyssa still thought of him as her big brother who went away though.</span></p><p>
  <span>Edric had taken their mother’s look quite heavily, having the same auburn curls that mother boasted. He was tall as well, though not quite so tall as Prince Joffrey. The golden princling oft scared Alyssa. She had seen how he would treat Prince Tommen, Princess Lanna and Prince Loren where their sisters were not around, and he was always mean to Edric and Alyssa herself as well. Once, when she was only six, he had snuck into her room and ripped up the clothes she was wearing, before he took out a knife, and used it on her hair, and cut half her hair completely off. Mother hadn’t let her leave the tower for a year after that, as her hair grew back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would miss the tower she knew. Mother had told her that the tower was only for the King’s Hand and his family, and now that father was dead, and the King was off to go select a new Hand, they couldn’t stay there any more. The only solace Alyssa could take was that mother told her that someday she might be able to return to court, though it was not like to be for many years. </span>
</p><p> <span>After they arrived in Gulltown though, they began the journey to the Eyrie. A bad man in Bronze armor had come to take away Edric again, but mother didn’t let him. Alyssa thought the bad man had been Bronze Yohn Royce, father’s friend, but he wasn’t bad, so it couldn’t be him she thought, yet when she asked her mother, she had simply told her that all Royces are the same.</span></p><p> <span>Then they had reached the Eyrie. It was cold, but it was beautiful, and less smelly than King’s Landing. Mother had summoned the Lords of the Vale, and they had slowly started to arrive.</span></p><p>
  <span>Mother didn’t like any of them much, she said they were all plotting to steal the Eyrie. Some of the Lords had arrived already. Grafton, Redfort and Belmore, she knew from her lessons with Maester Coleman, and the Corbrays and Templetons had arrived at the Gates of the Moon the night before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alyssa wandered slowly towards the High Hall with the weirwood throne. There were hushed voices inside. When she opened the doors, they stopped suddenly. There were more Lords there now. She could see the Waynwood banner, and the Hunter banner as well. “Lady Alyssa,” greeted Lord Horton Redfort. “It is good to see you.” </span>
</p><p> <span>“It is good to see you as well my lord.” Alyssa said, shyly, trying hard to remember her courtesies.</span></p><p>
  <span>“My lady, this is the Anya Waynwood, the Lady of Ironoaks,” Lord Horton introduced, gesturing to the woman to his right, “And this is Lord Lyonel Corbray of Heart’s Home, and Ser Symond Templeton, the Knight of Ninestars.”</span>
</p><p> <span>“Well met, my Lords and Lady,” Alyssa replied.</span></p><p> <span>“It is good to see you again, my lady,” said Symond Templeton. “The last time you were only a babe.”</span></p><p> <span>“Perhaps you should go and get ready for the day ahead, Lady Alyssa,” suggested Lady Anya, and at that, Alyssa turned and left through the door she entered by.</span></p><p>
  <span>She walked slowly back to her chambers, where she dressed. She wore a blue dress today, with silver lining. Father had given it to her on her last name day. It was her favorite dress by far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she was finished dressing herself, she looked in the mirror. Alyssa had always been told had taken many of the traits of her Targaryen grandmother, the Princess Daella like her golden-blond hair, rather than father’s once sandy blond hair. And her blue eyes even sometimes were known to look purple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alyssa began to walk towards her mother’s room, though she noted a servant was already walking into the room as she did so. “Yohn Royce has arrived at the Eyrie, my lady, alongside Eon Hunter.” before the servant bowed and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short time later after the servant had left, Alyssa walked into the room. “Kidnap my son. Steal the Regency”. She heard her mother muttering, before she stopped when she noticed Alyssa. “Come here my little falcon,” she said with a sad smile, while opening her arms for a hug. “You are safe with your mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alyssa was a little confused, but she took her mother’s hug anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother, when will we have Sweetrobin back?” She asked. Since they had returned to the Eyrie, Alyssa had found most her days were spent just wandering, with no one to play with. Edric spent most his days with Lord Grafton’s boys who had come with them from Gulltown and Sweetrobin was on Dragonstone. She couldn’t even spend time with others she used to play with like Princesses Myrcella, Marla, and Lanna or even Prince Tommen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though Marla was with them, she spent most her days with Edric too, and scarcely had any time for Alyssa. When Alyssa had asked why, she said it was because her father had told them they were to wed one day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soon my sweetling, soon.” Her mother assured her. “They took your father, your brother’s title, and Sweetrobin, and no doubt the King meant to have you as well if you were just a little older. It makes no matter, your father was old and grey when I wed him, and had already lost half his teeth, it was not going to be much longer, and your brother’s title will be restored before long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She remained with her mother for a while, before she finally left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Eyrie was small compared to most castles Alyssa had seen, but very high up. She had quickly learned her way around the castle, and was out of places to explore she felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ascent had been terrifying until they made it to the top. She had begged her mother to let her stay at the foot of the Mountain at the Gates of the Moon, but her pleas had done her little good. Alyssa remembered just how eager Edric was to climb the last way up, rather than taking the winch basket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that night, Alyssa ate her dinner quietly, at the end of her table in what was still a nearly vacant hall, before she went to bed in her chambers, and the crow came to her.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>So I came back and rewrote this chapter, since it was a disaster initially. It’s still not great, but it’s better than it was. The Alyssa plotline is really just building for the future.<br/>Yeah, so Alyssa in addition to existing, also has a twelve year old brother named Edric, who was being fostered at Gulltown for a while.<br/>Alyssa is also the eight year old daughter of Jon Arryn and Lysa.<br/>And there’s also Marla, who is Jaime and Cersei’s daughter, who is aged 10, and betrothed to Edric. <br/>Meanwhile, Sweetrobin is currently a ward with Stannis as well.<br/>Also, yes, I did say Jon Arryn’s mother is Princess Daella Targaryen (Egg’s sister), sue me. And Eon Hunter’s unknown wife was Celia Tully (the girl Prince Jaehaerys, later King Jaehaerys II was supposed to marry).<br/>Chronologically this chapter is actually between Rhaenys I and Robb I, however it is placed here to serve as a buffer between Jeyne I and the next chapter, Myrcella I, since two feasts in a row is a little redundant.<br/>In these notes I keep having to provide info that I've forgotten to mention in past chapters that has come from the changes to the story that have been made. In this one, I'm giving an update on the fact that William Dustin and Barbary have issue. They have Cregan in 285, and Beron in 289 AC.<br/>Please comments, I really want to know how you guys feel about the story and all critiques and feedback are very highly appreciated.<br/>As always, I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Myrcella I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Myrcella</p><p>It was warmer than Myrcella had expected in Winterfell. When father told her that he intended to have her married to Lord Stark's eldest son and heir, and that she would be remaining in Winterfell, she feared that she would end up freezing to death. From some of the stories she had heard, the North was a cold and empty wasteland where all southerners froze, where snow falls could engulf entire towns and castles, burying them to never be found again, freezing all inside. And Myrcella had been inclined to believe it along the way, with her being colder in the North than she had ever been while they were travelling. It had even snowed.</p><p>Yet, as Robb had explained, Winterfell was built on hot springs which flowed throughout the castle to make it warm, even during the coldest parts of Winter, when outside the castle, snows mounted high, and all you can see is white beyond the walls, if you could even see beyond the walls.</p><p>This was going to be her home now, Myrcella thought. Winterfell was certainly a great castle, even comparable to Casterly Rock or the Eyrie, or Storm's End.</p><p>They had been in Winterfell for six days, and tonight, she would be married to Robb in the Godswood. She had come to like Robb during that time, but still Myrcella felt nervous. Most noble girls weren't married until they were six and ten, yet Myrcella was being married hardly even half a year after she had turned three and ten.</p><p>At Castle Cerwyn, her father had announced his intentions to marry her to Lord Stark's heir when they were at Winterfell. Her mother had protested with such a fury that for a time, Myrcella wondered who the true Baratheon was, but there was no changing father's mind. Father had said that she would be left at Winterfell regardless of if she was married to him or not, and if they were not wed there, in a few years they would all have to journey back North to hold the wedding then, which would hardly be convenient.</p><p>Later that night though, her father had come to her and asked her if she would like to be wed later, but Myrcella had only told him that she wished to do her duty. Her father had always shown her far more affection than he had Joffrey, Marla, Tommen, Lanna, or Loren and even then it wasn't much.</p><p>Robb was certainly kind enough to her. Since they had run into each other as he was leaving the Godswood, he had taken better care to keep Greywind under control. And he was handsome as well.</p><p>Myrcella's thoughts were interrupted when the door opened to her chambers. She had expected her mother or one of her handmaids to help her prepare for the wedding, but was surprised when it was Tommen who entered.</p><p>"Tommen, what is it?" she asked her brother, who looked distraught.</p><p>Myrcella could see that her brother's emerald green eyes glistened with tears, and so she rose to give him a hug.</p><p>"You're not going to be coming back home with us, are you?" He said, as he embraced her.</p><p>"No, I won't," she told him. She couldn't lie to him, he would find out the truth soon enough anyways if she did, if he hadn't already been told, and was just asking her to try and get her to come back. "I will remain here with Lord Robb, Lady Catelyn, and little Rickon. Why?"</p><p>"It's just… Joffrey was mean to me again. If you're gone, who will stop him?" Said the plump little prince. Myrcella thought about it for a moment. All this time she had been thinking about her new life in Winterfell, she hadn't considered what she would be leaving behind. She hadn't thought about how Joffrey would treat Tommen, Lanna and Loren with her not around to keep him at bay.</p><p>"Come, sit with me Tommen," she told him, and he quickly obeyed. Once they had sat down together, she began to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I do not know how I can keep you safe from Joffrey if I am not around. I hope that I will be able to visit from time to time, but for now, you will need to stand up to him. You will need to be strong. Winter is coming Tommen, for all of us, and I was never going to always be there to protect you. You will need to be strong."</p><p>At that, Tommen sniffled a little, while Myrcella held his side a little tighter.</p><p>"Do you promise that you will visit?" He asked her.</p><p>"I will try to. I promise that I will try," she assured him, and that seemed to make him feel better, though she didn’t know truthfully how well she would be able to keep that promise. "Now, you should go prepare yourself for the wedding. No doubt mother will be mad when she learns that you haven't and have been preventing me from preparing." He then got up and left, making sure to close the door behind him.</p><p>Myrcella knew that she would miss Tommen. She couldn't care for the rest, but he was a sweet child. She had always stood up to Joffrey, both for herself and for her siblings, but now Tommen was at Joffrey's mercy, and it was a terrible thing to be at Joffrey's mercy. Mayhaps Lord Eddard, and her father would arrange for Tommen and Bran to foster or squire for some lord far away together and they could become best of friends like their fathers were, and be safe from Joffrey.</p><p>She sat for a while after Tommen had left, in quiet thought.</p><p>At some point, Rosamund came to begin helping her dress and prepare for the wedding. Rosamund was her main Handmaid, though Myrcella also had Rhea Royce, Perianne Mallister, Joanna Lydden, Valaena Velaryon, Samantha Rowan, Cassandra Swann, Leona Tyrell, Elaenor Mooton, Cynthea Frey and Eleyna Westerling as her noble ladies in waiting, all of good birth and noble families, and who would all remain at Winterfell with her. Someday they would all return to their families, likely to be wed off to some knights or lords, but for now they would be with her still.</p><p>Myrcella remembered when it had been her eight nameday and Lord Arryn had suggested the notion that she have noble companions, and how splendid she thought the notion was.</p><p>Her two favorites were Rosamund and Rhea.</p><p>Rosamund was a very distant cousin of hers, that her uncle Tyrion had brought to court for her as a companion. Rhea was Lord Yohn Royce’s third born daughter, and had been the first companion that Lord Arryn had chosen for her. Unlike some who were simply chosen because their fathers sided with the Rebels, or because of her grandfather’s bannermen wanted to win his favor and get better matches for their daughters, Rhea had been one of the few who she had befriended before then.</p><p>She bathed and then put on a golden dress. She knew her mother or father would come a little later with her maiden cloak. Outside her window, she could see the sun was setting quickly. It would be less than an hour now before she would be wed. She dismissed Rosamund once they were finished with her hair.</p><p>A short time later, her mother came, dressed such that Myrcella thought she might be the most beautiful woman in the world.</p><p>"Myrcella…" Her mother began, with her voice trailing off. "You look beautiful." She said smiling before it turned into a frown. "If you do not want this match, I'm sure Robert would understand."</p><p>Myrcella just looked at her mother. "It's too late even if I didn't want to. This was always going to happen mother."</p><p>Her mother gave her a look of sadness, before she offered the cloak she had been holding. On it was both a lion and a stag, the sigils of house Baratheon and Lannister. "Here, then. I made it myself, since I wasn't able to bring the one that I had been cloaked with on my own wedding night, that my own mother had been cloaked in as well."</p><p>"Thank you mother." She said, as her mother began putting it over her shoulders, adjusting her golden hair in the process. The cloak was lighter than it looked, she noted, though still heavy.</p><p>Her mother kissed her on the forehead and hugged her. "You must be strong Myrcella. You may think the Stark boy likes you, but it will only be a matter of time before he hurts you."</p><p>Myrcella didn't know what to say to her mother. "Robb isn't like father." She finally mustered.</p><p>Her mother gave her a look of pity. "You should've seen your father when we were wed."</p><p>And at that, her mother turned and walked away.</p><p>Not long after, her father came. He had trimmed his beard, Myrcella noted, while he wore a black doublet, emblazoned with the crowned stag of House Baratheon, and a cloak of black and gold squares that was pinned with a broach that also was a stag. He wore his crown as well, made of gold, shaped to have two stags at the head.</p><p>The king favored his daughter with a smile, praised her beauty, and told her how lucky Lord Stark's son was going to be, before he offered his hand, and they exited her chambers. She looked back at them one more time, seeing that scarcely any of her things now remained, since she would be sleeping in Robb's chambers tonight, before taking a deep breath and turning forward. They walked arm in arm for what felt like hours, from the guest houses to the Godswood, though it could not have been more than a few minutes.</p><p>It was now night, and the moon was just barely beginning to become visible, Myrcella could see. Inside the Godswood, Myrcella could see steam rising from the hot springs, where they met the cold open air.</p><p>The path they walked on had candles on both sides, to light the way, though the path was quite old.</p><p>Soon though, they found themselves in front of the heart tree. It was the largest tree Myrcella had ever seen. In King's Landing they didn't have a Weirwood in the Godswood, and most other godswoods that she had been to were used more as a garden, than as a place of worship. Weirwoods grew forever, she had been told, and never rot. It's red leaves had started to fall from it's bony limbs that we spread quite wide around it's thick, white trunk.</p><p>In front of it stood Robb, dressed in a grey doublet, in the color of House Stark, and a grey cloak. Yet as much as he tried to look grey, like his father, or his bastard brother and sister, or Arya did, there was no masking his auburn hair.</p><p>"Who comes before the god?" Robb called out.</p><p>Her father then spoke up. "Princess Myrcella of House Baratheon of House Baratheon, comes here to be wed. A woman grown and flowered, trueborn and noble, she comes to beg the blessing of the gods. Who claims her?"</p><p>"I do," Robb replied. "Robb of House Stark, heir to Winterfell. I claim her. Who gives her?"</p><p>"King Robert of House Baratheon, her father." He responded before turning to her. "Myrcella, will you take this man?"</p><p>Myrcella looked at Robb for a moment and contemplated the question for a moment. "I take this man," she said.</p><p>Her father then stepped back, while she joined hands with Robb, and knelt before the tree, bowing their heads. Myrcella had never prayed to the Old Gods before, and wasn't quite sure what to do, so she followed Robb, who just remained silent, while making silent prayers, so she did the same. A short time after, they rose again, and Robb took off Myrcella's red cloak, and replaced it with a white wool cloak, emblazoned with a grey direwolf.</p><p>And with that, they were now man and wife. Northern weddings were much faster than those done in the light of the seven she had known, but she had not realized it would be that fast.</p><p>To Myrcella though, being a woman wed still felt strange.</p><p>This time, when she left the Godswood, it was not her father at her side, but Robb. Lord and Lady Stark followed behind them she saw, with their children, and behind them came her own father and mother, with Joffrey and Tommen, before the rest of the guests came.</p><p>She could hear the musician playing "Two Hearts That Beat as One," as well. Sansa had told her that musicians scarcely came to Winterfell, but this one was quite good.</p><p>They made for the Great Hall where they would be feasting. As it was their wedding, they were given the two seats at the center of the dias, rather than either of their parents. As they took their seats, more guests began to stream into the Hall as well.</p><p>The cooks began to bring in food. She sat to the right of Robb, and next to him sat his father, and the king, while to her left sat their mothers.</p><p>Myrcella found she had little appetite, both for food and for conversation. Robb tried to engage with her a little. After the food had been served, and some time had passed, Robb and Myrcella descended from the dias to dance.</p><p>In accordance with tradition, they shared the first dance, leading the others, before they switched. Myrcella found herself sharing a dance with each of Robb's brothers though getting one with Jon had been a struggle, and Rickon had all the grace as a dancer of any other boy of four, which was to say very little. She danced with one of Lord Dustin's sons, Beron, then with Tommen. Ser Arys, who was to remain with her at Winterfell as her sworn sword, danced with her, before she gave turns to two of Lord Ryswell's sons, her uncle Jaime, Lord Eddard, Theon Greyjoy before she ended up with one of Prince Rhaegar's sons, Aegon.</p><p>He had been polite, and showed no signs of resentment to the daughter of the man who had slain his father. Lord Stark had taken care to hide the Targaryens away earlier but they had become more present the longer they were at Winterfell. Not far from her, she could see Robb was dancing with the daughter of the Mad King, Daenerys.</p><p>A few more dances passed without note before she found herself back with Robb, though she realized what a grave mistake she had made by the time the dance was over, as some began to call for a bedding.</p><p>Others began to take up the call, and Myrcella dropped her hands, not wanting to be noticed, but she knew it was too late.</p><p>Not long after, her father rose to silence the growing calls, before he authorized the bedding.</p><p>Myrcella had barely any time to react before she was swept off her feet. She just barely managed to get a look at the man who had lifted her, and knew him to be the Greatjon, lord of House Umber. The other men had begun to swarm them as well, while Robb was mobbed by the ladies.</p><p>She was carried out of the hall by the drunk crowd, and they began to take her to the Great Keep where Robb's chambers were. It wasn't that far, but along the way they passed the sept that had been built for Lady Catelyn.</p><p>The men were also taking off her clothes, and making banter with her. Myrcella tried to return it, lacking anything else that she could do about it.</p><p>Luckily it wasn't long before they made it to Robb's chambers, where she was set down, naked as she had been the day she was named, on the bed. She immediately moved to cover her body with the furs, before Robb was dropped in the bed next to her, also naked. Some of the men told Robb about his new wife, while some of the ladies were telling her about Robb. After a few minutes though, they left the chamber, leaving Robb and Myrcella to their own devices.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>I decided to double upload this chapter since to say the least, I am not pleased with the Alyssa chapter.<br/>Now, onto actually notes about the story.<br/>First, Myrcella thinks that generally people in Westeros aren't married until they are 16, and she is correct in that. Usually that is the case, though sometimes special circumstances like war dictate it be the case. In this story though, the reason for Robert having them wed now is because first, he would leave Myrcella as a ward there even if she wasn't wed, so might as well. Additionally, if they aren't wed now in a few years they would all need to come back to Winterfell for the ceremony. Plus, Robert of course was betrothed to Lyanna for a while, and look at how well that worked out for him.<br/>I'm introducing a little series in my author notes where I go over some common tropes in fan fiction that I see that I dislike. It won't be in every chapter, but this one's is Robb (most commonly), skipping the bedding ceremony. This is based on a bit from the show where Catelyn says that Ned forbade a bedding ceremony during their own wedding, and Robb's wedding was a little weird. Ned did no such thing in the books, and in the books we have no reason to assume Robb and Jeyne didn't have a bedding ceremony for their wedding. The bedding ceremony is more than just some worthless piece of tradition, it serves as a way to make sure that they know the two actually bedded each other given that often times the bride and groom are complete strangers.<br/>Hopefully next chapter will not take this long to come out, considering that I actually have time right around now.<br/>Please Comment to let me know how you feel. Kudos and Bookmarks are much appreciated as well.<br/>In case you were wondering, no I still do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Bran I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bran</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran woke before dawn on the day that they were to depart for King's Landing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day before the King had gone out for a hunt to get a boar that they would eat at the feast, which left Bran in the castle. He had practiced sword fighting with Daemon, and his great uncle, Ser Oswell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon and Rhaenys's son, Goren , had taken ill two days past, which meant Rickon spent his days following Robb, Jon and Bran around. But Robb was busy, Jon spent most his days away, and so that left it to Bran to keep Rickon company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran had already packed away all of things, which meant until people began to wake, there wouldn't be anything to do. So Bran did what he did best, and began to climb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today he would go to King's Landing, with father, Sansa and Arya. Jon and Uncle Benjen would be going to the Wall, while Jeyne was going to be married to be married on their way south.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb, Rickon and Mother were to remain at Winterfell, with Robb's new wife, Theon, and the Targaryens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran was going to miss being able to learn from Ser Barristan, Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell and Ser Rodrik, but he figured it was past time he moved past the heroes of his boyhood, and become one for others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father had promised him that he would arrange for him to squire for some Lord or Knight shortly after they were settled in King's Landing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran was excited, for today would one day be looked as the beginning of his journey no doubt. He would even be able to ride a proper horse instead of a pony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn't even been up for an hour before the sun began to show itself over the horizon. Bran was up in the Old Keep when he saw it, and at once began to climb down. He began to wander the castle for a bit on foot. For a brief moment, while he was wandering, he spotted a red haired man, with some sprinkles of grey that he did not know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first person Bran encountered was Jeyne, who was going to the Hall to break her fast, and he joined her. They ate a modest meal in silence. As Bran had finished eating his eggs, Robb and Princess Myrcella entered the hall, followed not long after by Sansa and Jon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two took their seats, the princess and Robb took their seats next to Bran on either side, with Robb yawning and rubbing his eyes as he did so, while Sansa and Jon sat next to Jeyne</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can see you slept well last night." Jeyne said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb blinked twice, before nodding. "Wonderfully," he commented. Bran knew that Robb had spent a great deal of time with Theon, of late, and was hardly getting any sleep. Robb ruffled his brother's hair, making it a disheveled mess like his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A serving woman delivered plates for the newcomers, who began to eat, while Maester Luwin brought a letter for Jeyne. Bran could see the seal had already been broken, but Jeyne read over the letter thrice before putting it on the table, and when she looked up, she had a pale look on her face. At once Bran moved to grab it, and was able to snatch it before anyone else could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He unrolled the paper and began to read it, though Robb grabbed the end of the paper and tilted it down so that he could read it as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The letter was from Lord Tytos Blackwood, consenting to a betrothal between his eldest son and heir, Bryden, and Jeyne. After he had finished, he looked up at his older sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it?" Myrcella asked next to him, while he could see both Jon and Sansa had a look of curiosity on their faces. So Bran gave the letter to Jon and Sansa, while Robb told Myrcella aloud what was in the letter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Afterwards, it was Sansa who first offered her congratulations to Jeyne. "Oh, this is wonderful Jeyne. You'll get to be a Lady of your own Castle one day."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne looked at her sister appreciatively for her words, though Bran could see that she was still troubled over it, and didn't want to speak over the matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the rest of the breakfast, Bran and Sansa asked Myrcella about King's Landing. By the time they were finished, it seemed the whole castle was awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran returned to his chambers to change into his riding clothes. A dark grey woolen surcoat with silver buttons, as well as fur-lined boots and gloves. His fur-trimmed cloak was clasped with a heavy silver pin, a wolf's-head brooch of silver and polished jet that Bran thought made him look lordly. By the time he was done he could see that they were already preparing to leave, and goodbyes were being said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer followed him closely as he went about finding those to say goodbye. He had decided to name him Summer the night before, after being unsure for months prior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first goodbye Bran made was to Rickon, though Rickon had just gone on angrily about how he didn't want him to leave. Shortly afterwards, he found Rhaenys who was with Goren and Yara, and on the way out, Theon had appeared in the door, so he said goodbye to him as well. He found Daemon and Daenerys together, and said goodbye to them. Robb, Aegon and Jon were in the courtyard, and so Bran said goodbye to both of them there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His final goodbye was with his mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found her just outside the Great Keep, waiting for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is good to see you not on the walls for once. Promise me that you won't go climbing in King's Landing." His mother said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I promise," Bran said to his mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother chuckled at that, no doubt knowing Bran was not like to keep his word, before embracing him. "Goodbye Brandon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Goodbye mother." Bran said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a short time after that, when Jory brought his horse that he would ride to King's Landing, Dancer he was named. Bran mounted his horse, while seeing the rest of the King's Party was mounting and was about to leave. He could see father was saying goodbye to mother, while next to Bran was Jeyne who was mounted upon her horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Guardsmen opened the Eastern gates, and they rode forth onto the Kingsroad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran could see Robb and mother looking on from the battlements above, watching as they departed south. Not long into their ride, they met the Kingsroad, and turned south, while Jon, Uncle Benjen and the Imp went North.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could see father was speaking with three of the men who had been with him as he went to find Aunt Lyanna, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel and Lord Dustin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran knew he needed to be strong, now more than ever, for he was almost a man grown. As he rode further, he could see the home of his boyhood fading behind him, as he set forth going south.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>I wrote this chapter while listening to MCR. I'm not sure how or why Mama, Famous Last Words or The Ghost of You are good inspiration for this, but apparently they are, at least for me. Of course, this chapter is in Winterfell, in other words, A House of Wolves.<br/>Yes, I am assuming that Ser Oswell the great-uncle of the Stark Children.<br/>There is a reason for Bran not falling. I needed a different POV for King's Landing, since I don't just want to have to copy and paste chapters from the original story and only have one or two changes. Now, you may be saying that this would shift the original timeline…<br/>And you would be correct. This does push things forward about a month (or something, I've been playing fast and loose with the timeline since I have original timeline that I'm working with). But that time is fixed when adjusting for Jeyne's coming wedding (which will not be depicted on screen). This just means Catelyn will be stuck in King's Landing for longer.<br/>Jory Cassel is being left at Winterfell in this alternate universe, and his pappy, who is still alive, is in command of Ned's guard going south.<br/>In two chapters (most likely), we will have Theon's POV which has me quite excited, since I love Theon.<br/>Your reviews are very much appreciated, and any and all feedback is welcome. I got like 12 on the first few chapters and haven't gotten any since.<br/>Feel free to comment and give kudos if you are enjoying the story as well.<br/>In case you hadn't caught onto this fact by now, I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Daenerys I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Daenerys</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eight days it had been since Lord Eddard had left Winterfell, and during those eight days, Daenerys spent most her time in the sickroom with Rhaenys and Goren. With Rhaenys's children showing no signs of getting better from the great illness that had struck them two days before the King's departure, she spent day and night at their bedside, though never once seemed like she might have caught whatever illness plagued them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon, Daemon and Aegon also spent most their time at the bedside of the children, and Robb would as well were it not for him having to attend to the lordly duties now that his father was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys decided that she needed to relieve Rhaenys, and let her get some rest, for she had barely slept since her children fell ill, and when she did, she did so in the same chambers as her children.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she entered the sickroom, she saw the woman sitting next to the bed looked terrible. Rhaenys's brown hair was an uncombed mess, her brown eyes filled with red, with darkness underneath. She wasn't even properly dressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rhaenys," Daenerys called out to her. She looked back with a look of emptiness. "You need to rest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't. What if he needs me?" Rhaenys said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys thought for a moment before she responded. "Yes, he needs you, but he needs you to be strong. He needs his mother to not look worse than he is. He isn’t going to die if you leave his side for a moment. I'll stay with him for the night, while you get some sleep for once."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys then did something that Daenerys had not expected. She had expected vehement denial or angry words to be thrown back at her, yet instead she began to cry, as she rose to hug her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Rhaenys let go, Daenerys turned to open the door. She spotted Theon was there behind her. Daenerys guided Rhaenys towards her husband, and told Theon to go to their chambers for the night, and let her, the wet nurse and Maester Edwyle handle things for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goren was soundly asleep in the crib, Daenerys saw, and he looked a little better than he had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat there for a while, watching him sleep. At one point, Maester Edwyle came to check on them, and was surprised to see Rhaenys had left, so Daenerys had explained what had happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Catelyn and Aegon also had come to visit them, though each passed without note for Daenerys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, she could hear Greywind and Shaggydog howling as they always did during the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another visitor knocked on the door, and while she had expected it to be Daemon, or one of the wet nurses, or even possibly Rhaenys having thought she had gotten enough sleep now, and having to take her back to her chambers, instead it was Robb. He looked almost as bad as Rhaenys had, but there was little Daenerys could do about that, since Robb simply had too much going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daenerys?" Robb said surprised. "Where did Rhaenys go?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I had her go sleep this one night with Theon in their chambers." She told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good," Robb said as he nodded in approval.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Daenerys looked at him, she could see the wind had made his auburn curls into a mess, while his cheeks were red from the cold outside. For as much as he looked like his mother, and bore the Tully look, just as Sansa, Bran and Rickon did, with his auburn hair and blue eyes, but Daenerys had noticed that of late since his father had gone south that Robb had started to look a little more like his father, with the same stern and hard face. At his side was a sword now, making him look more of a man, though underneath Daenerys could still see many traces of the boy she knew in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You ought to get some rest as well." Daenerys said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb chucked a little at that. "Aye, I should, but I can't. The castle doesn't run itself, I still have my lessons, and with Bran, Arya, Jon, Jeyne and Sansa all gone and Goren up here, Rickon follows me around all day, and the only time I can even think to come here is at night."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spoke a little while longer, before one of the wolves howled. Then the other took up the call, and shortly after she heard the dogs were barking to. A look began to dawn on Robb's face as he looked out the window, as his face became pale, almost as though he were trying to match her own paleness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fire," he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat up at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The library tower's on fire."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys shot up and looked out the window. She could see indeed there were flames at the library tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stay here, I'll come back as soon as the fire is out." Robb told her, before he ran out of the room. She could hear the guards posted outside the door where doing the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, the window, Daenerys could hear the sounds of the entire castle at work, though the direwolves had gone silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned away from the window to walk back to her chair next to the crib that Goren was sleeping on when she saw a man standing in the doorway near her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You weren't s'posed to be here," he muttered sourly. "No one was s'posed to be here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was small and dirty, wore filthy brown clothing, and stank of the stables, though Daenerys could not recognize him. His face was guant, and he had blonde hair and sunken eyes. Yet of greatest concern was the knife he held in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then looked to Goren. He was stirring a little, no doubt ready to be fed again. "No, you can't," she said, somewhat panicked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's a mercy," he replied. "He's dead already."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she said a little louder, then she turned to the window and shouted "HELP!" before she felt the man was upon her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tackled her, and brought the knife up to her throat, but Daenerys grabbed it. She screamed at the pain, as the dagger cut through the flesh on her hands, but she held on and was able to retch the knife free from his grasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clamped his hand down on her mouth, though, to prevent her from being able to breath, but she elbowed him in the stomach, which caused him to double over, and allowed her to grab the knife standing next to the wall. She could barely hold it with how deeply her fingers were cut, but she held onto it anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man rose again, and ran into her, causing her to hit her head on the wall behind them. She could feel something warm at the back of her head, though she didn't have time for that. As she fell, she was able to stab the knife into the man's leg, and as she fell, the knife was pulled down with her. The man howled with pain at that, even louder than Greywind or Shaggydog could, before he began to wrap his hands around her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys tried to pull the knife out of the man's leg, but it was too firmly embedded in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to call out for help, but the words wouldn't leave her throat. She felt him squeeze harder and harder, before out of the corner of her eye, she could see someone had entered. She immediately realized it was Ser Barristan, with his white hair. The man turned as well, letting go over her. The man couldn't stand on his right leg which the dagger still protruded from, and as Ser Barristan rushed forward, there was naught a thing the man could do to protect himself. Ser Barristan ran his longsword through the man's chest, causing blood to spill all over Daenerys, and the man fell over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"MAESTER!" The old man shouted at once, before he moved the man's body off of her. He scooped her up, and moved her from the wall, and onto the bed, reassuring her that she was safe as he did. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Robb and Maester Edwyle rushing in.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>So I have hopefully just one last thing that I need to update at this point, and that's the status of Jorah Mormont. In this alternate universe, he's still Lord of Bear Island, wields Long Claw, and is married to Lynesse Hightower, who's not quite living as lavish a lifestyle as she did in the original story. I know you're probably asking why, and there's a reason. Jorah's entire story just seems off. He's an ugly man who Lynesse Hightower gave her favor. Despite not being all that good a tourney knight, he ended up winning the entire thing. Despite being well below their station and being all the way in the North, the Hightowers agreed to marry Lynesse to Jorah when asked. Lynesse then was a spoiled brat who lived an extremely lavish lifestyle, contrasting the personalities of the other Hightowers in our story. Then Jorah somehow has some passing slavers to sell some poachers that were meant for the Watch too, which is beyond odd, and gets caught after the first time.<br/>So Jorah is Lord of Bear Island, Lynesse is Lady of Bear Island, and they have issue, Sara (born 292), Osric (born 294) and Brandon (born 297)<br/>I'm calling BS. It seems highly likely that this whole thing was set up by the Hightowers to put Jorah into exile so he could get close to Daenerys and Viserys, and so they could monitor them better. Additionally, with Lynesse becoming a paramour of a prominent person in I believe Lys, it turns that city against Daenerys and Viserys, and helps further turn the North against them. Plus, Jorah seems to want his wife Lynesse back, and so this allows them to use that to make him their creature. However, with Rhaenys, Aegon, Daemon and Daenerys all at Winterfell, they would want there agents closer to there to monitor them, especially with Ser Gerold passing of old age.<br/>Since there really won't be a chance to reveal this in the story, no the catspaw wasn't hired by Joffrey, it was hired by Mance, who we know to be in Winterfell. This allows him to put two sick kids out of their misery (a mercy), and allows him to create conflict with the Starks and the Lannisters to weaken the Starks and hopefully have them take their strength south so that he can have an easier time invading the North.<br/>Please leave comments to let me know how you guys feel about this, any and all feedback is welcome.<br/>If you like this story, feel free to bookmark and and leave kudos.<br/>Just checked, no I still don't own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Theon I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Theon</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Rhaenys was finally been convinced to sleep away from Goren, a man had attacked them. Rhaenys had slept for two full days afterwards, which had only fueled Theon's fury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following the attack, Robb had order that two men be posted at the foot of the tower, one more at the door and one inside the door, usually one of Ser Barristan, Ser Arthur or Ser Oswell. Only Theon, Robb, Maesters Edwyle and Luwin, the wet nurse, Rhaenys, Aegon, Daemon, the former Kingsguard and Lady Catelyn were able to freely enter the chamber without an appointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daenerys had only woken earlier that morning, four days after the attack, after she took a rather hard hit to the head, and her hands were badly cut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This had to be the Lannisters doing, Theon knew, that and the sickness. They had poisoned Goren he had no doubt, and when that had failed, they had sent a man with a knife in to kill him. No common man could've come into possession of such a fine knife, for it was Valyrian Steel, with a hilt of Dragonbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man was not one from Winterfell either, that much was plain. They had discovered where he was hiding in the stables, in an unoccupied stall where they found a bag of ninety silver stags.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, he was going to question Ser Arys Oakheart. Robb had insisted that Ser Arys not be thrown in a cell, until they have reason to believe he was playing them false, so they were questioning him in Lord Eddard's solar, after summoning him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both he and Robb were dressed in boiled leather with ringmail, with swords hanging from their waists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ser Arys," Robb greeted when the man came in. "Be seated."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it that you have summoned me for?" The knight asked. He too was dressed in armor with his white cloak streaming behind him, and had his own sword hanging by his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"By now, you surely know of the man who attacked Theon's son, Goren, in his sick bed." Robb said. Luckily for Theon, Robb was able to remain calm during this time, while inside he boiled with fury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What of it?" Ser Arys said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The man was in possession of this dagger," Robb said, as he placed it on the table in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would never..." Ser Arys began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nor did I accuse you." Robb told him. "I was about to ask if you knew of this dagger and who it belonged to, that is all."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man began to study the knife closely picking it up. In the corner, Greywind sat, watching as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after, the man put the knife down. "This is a fine blade."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Indeed, and there is little doubt that such a common footpad would not be able to come into possession of it on it's own, nor the ninety silver stags that we found in the stables where he had been sleeping. He must have been hired by someone." Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The dagger looks familiar, though from where I cannot say." He finally said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon glanced at Greywind, who was still watching the man closely, but showed no sign of hostility.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb then thanked the White Knight who turned and walked away, closing the door behind him. At once Theon and Robb began to talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Surely he must no something." Theon told Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think not. I've spent time with him, and he is a man of honor, and true. Greywind also didn't do anything." Robb replied. "We will speak on this later."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly afterwards, Theon left the solar, while Robb remained. Theon went and found Rhaenys at the bedside of Yara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since the attack, Rhaenys had looked better in spite of her fear having only increased when she was told of it. Now she actually slept in their chambers at night, and took time to attend to other matters in the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since Rhaenys had awoken from her sleep, Goren's health had begun to improve. He had lost some weight, but he was safe. Casella still ran about the halls of Winterfell boundlessly with Rickon, too, which was good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did you find out?" She asked. The only other person in the chamber was Ser Oswell Whent, who was Robb's great uncle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ser Arys said he recognized the blade, and felt he had seen its like before, though he could not place where." Theon informed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If this was the work of the Lannisters, or the King..." Rhaenys started, before Theon cut her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Theon told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon took a seat beside Goren’s crib next to his lady wife. Theon put his arm around Rhaenys's shoulder and rocked her slightly in his embrace. The two sat their at the beside of their sick child for what felt like hours, unspeaking. By the time he let go, Jory Cassel and Maester Luwin had come, while a different guardsmen was standing watch."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Theon, Rhaenys, come, there is much to discuss." Maester Luwin said to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They got up, slowly, and began following the Maester and captain of the guard down the stairs. He led them past the armory, and the Guards Hall, and eventually they found themselves in the Godswood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb, Aegon, Lady Catelyn, Ser Barristan, Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell and Ser Rodrik were already there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some greetings were exchanged, before Robb began to speak. "We questioned Ser Arys, and he does not know who the dagger belonged to though he recognized it. Myrcella told me the same thing. The man was not of Winterfell either. We found where he had been hiding in the stables, and there was a bag of ninety silver stags."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is good to see that their lives were not sold cheaply." Ser Oswell said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My pardons ser, but are you saying that the man was hired?" Ser Barristan asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How else could it be?" Ser Oswell replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If true, then what monster would have hired such a man?" Ser Barristan insisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The same one who poisoned him in the first place. The sickness did not spread and only affected him. I have no doubt that it was poison to try and kill him. It was the Lannisters that did it, no doubt about it, them to try and secure the throne for Prince Joffrey and King Robert." Ser Oswell replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Barristan looked aghast at that. "Do you have proof of these accusations?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do I need it? No common man could've come into possession of that knife, especially now that we know the princess and her knight recognize it." Theon noted Ser Oswell had a pained look when he called Myrcella a princess, and hadn't even called Ser Arys a white knight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Enough," Lady Catelyn put in, causing both knights to be quiet. "First, we must needs have proof, before we make such accusations. While they were at Winterfell, I did not fail to notice the Queen and her family took an interest in the Targaryens, especially the Queen's brother, the Imp." She told them. Theon did not fail to notice that Lady Catelyn looked a little ill herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But why would anyone want to kill Goren? He’s a babe, not even weaned." Robb asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb, if you are to be Lord of Winterfell one day, you must needs learn to answer these questions yourself. Think on it for a moment, and tell me your answer." Lady Catelyn said to her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb looked at her for a moment. "Because his is blood of House Targaryen, and will one day rule the Iron Islands." He said, looking a little proud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very good," she praised. "And when they do, they will have power. Power to raise swords and ships to their banners and reclaim the throne for themselves." She explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But they would never..." Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That would not matter to them. When they see the Targaryens that your father saved and raised, they see a threat, not harmless children. Lord Tywin ordered some men to find Princess Elia and her children, there is no doubt about that, and were it not for your father, they would've been killed." Lady Catelyn said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What must we do then, surely we must find proof before we present these to anyone, or forever hold our tongues." Maester Luwin said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And that is what I mean to find," Lady Catelyn told him. "But first, I need all you to swear that you will not speak of this meeting and what I am about to tell you, for it puts all of us, and my husband down in King's Landing in grave danger, especially if it were to get out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sers Barristan, Arthur and Oswell, swore first, each on their honor as a knight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon went next. "Lord Eddard is a second father to me, I do so swear."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have my oath." Maester Luwin said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And mine," Ser Rodrik echoed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear as well." Jory Cassel said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have my word." Rhaenys told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear it," said Aegon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Catelyn then looked to Robb. "And you, Robb?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb nodded in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My sister, Lady Lysa, wrote a letter to me. She said she suspects that the Lannisters poisoned her husband, Jon Arryn, the last Hand of the King."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon could see the shock on the faces of everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lady, that is a monstrous suggestion," said Rodrik Cassel. "Why would they do such a thing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is no limit to Lannister pride and ambition." Lady Catelyn said. "His grace, King Robert named Ser Jaime Lannister Warden of the East, and I have heard that he wanted to foster his son, Lord Robert Arryn, at Casterly Rock with Lord Tywin. Perhaps even they hoped King Robert would name Lord Tywin as his new hand."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Father must be warned at once." Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We must find who owned the dagger as well, for such a blade is not like to be unnoticed." Ser Rodrik added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Perhaps we ought to send a raven." Ser Barristan said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, the risk is too great." Lady Catelyn told him. "Someone must go to King's Landing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll go." Robb offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother looked at him. "Your place is here Robb, with your wife. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Catelyn looked around at those who were with them, as though she were deciding who to send.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I must go myself." She said at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lady," said Maester Luwin, "is that wise? Surely the Lannisters would greet your arrival with suspicion."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You ought to have a strong escort my lady." Ser Arthur Dayne said, speaking for the first time in the entire meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can send Jory with some guardsmen to escort you." Robb said, and Jory nodded with approval.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would be willing to go my lady." Jory told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Lady Catelyn said. "A large party attracts unwelcome attention. I would not have the Lannisters know I am coming."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Rodrik protested. "My lady, let me accompany you at least. The kingsroad can be perilous for a woman alone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Catelyn studied the man for a moment. "I will not be taking the kingsroad," she replied before nodding. "Two riders can move as fast as one, and a good deal faster than a ong column burdened by wagons and wheelhouses. I will welcome your company, Ser Rodrik. We will follow the White Knife down to the sea, and hire a ship at White Harbor. Strong horses and brisk winds should bring us to King's Landing well ahead of Ned and the Lannisters, who have another wedding to attend to." And that settled the matter.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>Personally, I love Theon, and he's easily in my top 3 favorite ASOIAF characters.<br/>This is one of the few pieces I pulled from the show, moving the conversation from whatever room Catelyn was in to the Godswood, since in this alternate universe, Catelyn wasn't asleep for four days, so they would meet some place private, and also we know that followers of the Old Gods do not lie in the Godswood.<br/>In case you didn't notice, these past two chapters are mostly a reimagination Catelyn III. A few lines here were pulled straight from the original book, but overall I rewrote most of it, which was easy since the different context of things here. Both this chapter and the last chapter were a little short, but combined into one chapter, they would be about where I want it to be at.<br/>I thought about writing a chapter for one of my different fics, but I just started working on this one and breezed through it.<br/>Like I mentioned in the notes for Bran I, I am operating without a beta at the moment, and could absolutely use one, so if you are interested in that, feel free to PM me.<br/>Please leave a comment to let me know how you feel about this, getting to hear from you guys about this does help fuel my ability to write this.<br/>If you like this, feel free to bookmark and give kudos.<br/>Thanks for reading if you've made it this far.<br/>And no, I don't own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Robb II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Robb</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb," a voice gently called out to him. Robb opened his eyes to see Myrcella was shaking him awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, you're awake. Maester Luwin says you are needed." She told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb looked down at himself. He wasn't a wolf, this was his skin that he belonged in. "How long have you been trying to wake me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not long." She told him. Robb further verified that fact when he saw that Myrcella was still dressed in her shift and her hair had yet to be combed. Myrcella looked paler than normal, but still much better than he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quickly got up and began to dress. He looked at himself in the mirror. He still looked terrible from a lack of sleep, which had only gotten worse now that his mother had left. It was nearing a moon's turn past that his mother had gone south, and now Robb was feeling more lost than ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was tasked with all the duties and responsibilities of a lord, yet still had to go about his lessons as always. And with mother and father gone, Robb had to take care of Rickon, all the while spending time with Myrcella, yet worst of all were his dreams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I am a man, not a wolf, he repeated to himself, though he found himself believing it less and less.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he was finished dressing himself, he noted that Myrcella was as well, so they left their chambers together and went to the Great Hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb took the Lord's seat while Myrcella sat next to him. They were joined by Maester Luwin and Jory Cassel at the high table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Kingsguard were awaying training, the new men at arms that had been brought on to replace the 50 that father had taken south, and double the guard beyond that, so that it would number four hundred men. With Ser Rodrik gone with mother, Ser Barristan had been risen to the title Master-at-Arms of Winterfell. Theon and Daemon were away with them, while Aegon was in the hall with them. Rhaenys was off with Casella and Rickon no doubt, and Daenerys was somewhere Robb knew, but he couldn't say exactly where for the life of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lord, we have two letters that I think you ought to read before we see any petitioners." Maester Luwin said pulling them from his pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first letter was from father, Robb could see based on the seal. Robb opened it, and read over it carefully. Father had made it past the neck and was writing it from the Twins. While there at the Twins, Ned had agreed to have one of Lord Walder's sons, Olyvar, be a companion of his, and for another grandson, Tywin, to be his squire, while two other grandsons, both named Walder, would be fostered at Winterfell as well, being mother’s wards. A girl of House Vance would be mother’s cupbearer, while another one of Lord Walder’s daughters would be a lady in waiting for Myrcella.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then put that letter down and picked up the second. It bore the seal of House Mormont, he saw, announcing the betrothal between one of Lord Jorah's cousins, Lyra, to the heir to the Last Hearth, Smalljon Umber. He put that letter down as well when he was done with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will write a letter of congratulations later tonight, and I suppose we ought to have chambers prepared for our new Frey guests." Robb told the maester.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clearly that was what the Maester wanted to hear, and he nodded his approval, before they began to invite petitioners.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first petitioner was Lord Medger Cerwyn, who requested that some taxes be lowered, only some of which Robb granted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next was a man from Umber lands. He was an old man, with half his hair gone, and what remained of it was completely white, who complained of Wildlings raiding his lands. Robb promised that he would try to increase the strength of the watch so that they could better protect against the wildlings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some other petitions came before him. A baker charging too much for bread in Wintertown, some land dispute between two landed knights on Cerwyn lands, but most worryingly was reports of the Skagosi being more unruly than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the last of the petitioners were done, Robb retreated to father's solar, where he was once more attended by Maester Luwin and Jory Cassel. Myrcella had gone off to do other things though, and Aegon likely was off training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb had worried for too long about the matter, and felt it was time they finally do something about it, and speaking of it would be easier without Myrcella there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they were all seated, Robb began. "Maester Luwin, I think it time that we begin preparing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Preparing for what?" The Maester asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If what mother suspects is true, and the Lannisters are attempting to take power, we must needs be prepared." Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Maester only looked at him curiously. "And how would you do that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, we ought to have men placed at Moat Cailin, who will hold off any possible armies and see to repairing the castles defenses. 200 men ought to suffice, 100 from Ser Helman Tallhart, and another hundred from Lord Galbart Glover, under your command Jory."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jory nodded his approval at the plan, while Maester Luwin still had a look of concern. "And how do you imagine others will react to such a move my lord?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do not mean for them to know. I'll draft up the orders after we are done here, but should anyone ask, we are simply working to restore the castle to its former might." Robb told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well, my lord." The Maester replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is one more matter as well. We have lacked any naval power since Brandon the Burner took a torch to his father's remaining ships. If it should come to war, I think it better we have a fleet of our own than not. When we are finished here, fetch me Ser Wylis Manderly, and I shall speak to him about it." Robb explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb... These are bold moves, that could be mistaken for signs of war." Jory said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then we best not let anyone find out. I shall find you when I have need of you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jory left to go do his duty as a guardsmen, while Maester Luwin went to go attend to his ravens, leaving Robb alone in his solar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to draft his letters. His first was his orders to Ser Helman, ordering he raise a hundred archers to help see to the defense of Moat Cailin, while he wrote a similar letter to Lord Galbart Glover. He wrote a third letter for Lord Howland Reed explaining how they would be garrisoning Moat Cailin for the nonce, and a fourth naming Jory the Master of Moat Cailin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he began writing a letter to Lord Wyman Manderly ordering the construction of warships. This letter took longer for him to write then the others, but it was not that difficult.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb then began to write his letters to House Mormont and Umber, approving and offering congratulations on the betrothal. These two took the longest, and Robb ended up burning two drafts before he finished it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last letter he wrote was to father, to tell him of how things were at Winterfell, and informing him he received the letter he sent from the Twins. He had briefly thought to perhaps mention mother going south, but thought better of it, since the letter could be intercepted. By now she should be in King's Landing though, Robb thought, so he'll find out soon enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When that was done, he told the guard who was outside his door to fetch Maester Luwin. While the guard was away, Robb took the grey wax, and held it over the candle to let it melt, before he began applying his seal to each letter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Maester Luwin returned, he brought with a fat man, with a bald head, Ser Wylis, he knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maester, I have the messages that must needs be sent." Robb said, before greeting Ser Wylis. "Ser, welcome, please be seated."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb gave the messages to Maester Luwin, and told him they were for the Last Heart, Bear Island, Raventree and Deepwood Motte. When the Maester was gone, Robb gave the letter he had written for Lord Wyman to Ser Wylis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lord, what have you summoned me here for?" Ser Wylis asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have an important message that I need you to bring to your father. You are departing on the morrow, are you not?" Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aye, I ride back to White Harbour tomorrow, my lord. I can see this message to my father." Said Ser Wylis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, ser." Robb said, handing him to the letter, while Ser Wylis rose to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next, Maester Luwin brought Ser Helman Tallhart, and Robb gave him the letter, and informed him of the need to station men at Moat Cailin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The final two letters he gave to Jory Cassel, who would be riding south after Ser Helman returned with his men.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was finished, Maester Luwin returned to him in the solar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lord, if you are sending Jory away, who do you mean to name captain of the guard?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb hadn't thought about that yet he realized, and didn't know who he would name. "I do not know," he finally confessed to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, Maester Luwin didn't give Robb a look of any disapproval, which made him feel a little better. "I had already thought to give you some likely candidates for the post, if you had not made a choice." The Maester said pulling a paper from one of his many pockets in his sleeves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb read over the list. He considered each man in turn before he made his choice. "Hal Mollen," he decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Maester nodded in response. "Very good my lord. I shall let him know that you appointed him to the post." He said before he turned to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, Robb left his father's solar. He went to the training yard, and sparred for a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, while Robb was walking to Maester Luwin's Turret, he found that Rickon had wrapped himself around his leg, begging to play with him, which Robb only promised that he would do after his lesson, and in the end, Robb ended up taking it with Rickon sitting in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Afterwards though, Robb was unable to fulfill his promise as some criminals were brought before him in the courtyard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All three were men from Wintertown who had stolen some treasures from another man, and Robb ended up ordering they either go to the Wall or lose their hands. Only the last one chose not to go to the Wall, forcing Robb to take the man's hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb ate dinner in the great hall, after having not eaten anything all day. They ate venison, pees and oranges, which Robb took his fill of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat at the high table with Myrcella at his side. They were joined by Theon, Rhaenys, Rickon, Casella, Maester Luwin, Sers Barristan, Oswell and Arthur, Aegon, Daemon and Daenerys, Ser Wylis, Ser Helman and Lord Cerwyn as well as Jory Cassel and Hal Mollen in honor of their appointments. While Maester Edwyle was off taking care of Goren. The rest of the castle was either seated below them eating or carrying out their duties within the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to him, Myrcella looked excited about something, though when Robb asked her about it, she told him that she would tell him later on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting at his father's seat once more, Robb could think of nothing he wanted more than to have his father back to remain seated here, or at the very least his mother to be back at Winterfell to help him. Yet, he knew it would do him no good to wish for them to return. Mother and father had to be away, and Robb needed to be strong while they were gone, and make sure that things were still being run in their absence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, Robb found it hard to even keep his eyes open. He could hear Greywind and Shaggydog where howling in the distance, and that only made it worse. Luckily, when it was finally time for Rickon to go to bed, he put up a fit that only ended when Robb took him, which gave Robb the ability to take his leave. He carried Rickon all the way from the Great Hall to his chambers on his shoulders, which Rickon seemed to like since it made him so much taller.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally got to Rickon's chambers, Robb opened the door, and Rickon off his shoulders to put him in bed. Rickon liked it when Robb tucked him in, but when Robb started to take his leave, and return to his own chambers, Rickon begged him to stay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb, don't go." He pleaded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much as he wanted to go, he also knew it would be much worse if he tried to leave Rickon there, and no doubt he would have an angry visitor to his chambers. So Robb stopped, and went back to Rickon's bedside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rickon, you know I can't stay here forever." Robb told him, but Rickon only gave him a pout. It would do no good to try and rationalize this to a four year old, so he figured it best to just wait until Rickon finally fell asleep to finally go. The trick was making sure that he didn't fall asleep while he waited, which he could feel his eyes were already struggling to remain open, and Robb could hardly keep his thoughts straight. "What do you want?" He finally asked. He hoped Rickon might ask him to read a story or something that Robb could do before he left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want mother and father." His brother replied with a hint of anger in his voice. "I want Jon, and Jeyne, and Bran, and Arya, and Sansa. And I want Shaggy to be free."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wonderful, Robb thought to himself, now I have to go through this again. "I'll see about letting Shaggydog out of the kennels more often." Robb tried to assure him, which made Rickon a little happier, but not by much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And father? And mother?" He asked again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mother will be back soon." Robb said to him. "And if you're good, you might be able to join Father, Bran and the Girls in King's Landing, and perhaps mother will stay there with you as well." It was partially a lie, Robb knew, for father had said it would be at least another year or two before he would consider bringing Rickon to court, but being good was also part of what father wanted from Rickon first as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about Jon and Jeyne?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb took hold of Rickon's hand, since he knew Rickon was not going to like the answer Robb would give him, but he gave it nonetheless. "Rickon, Jon went to the Wall to become a sworn brother of the Night's Watch, and father arranged for Jeyne to wed a lordling in the Riverlands. Sometime we may go to visit them, or they may visit us, but for now that is where they will remain."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In truth, Robb wanted Jon back as well, and without Jon at his side, Robb felt lost. He half wanted to write a letter to Jon telling him that mother was gone and if he wanted to return to Winterfell he could, but if Jon had already sworn his vows, Robb didn't want to cause his brother to desert. And if mother were to return, she had said that she would not allow Jon to stay, and he would be forced to go back to the Wall anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet Rickon didn't angrily protest at that. "Can we visit them sometime?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb knew it was more a request than a question, but treated it as a question anyways. "Someday, when you're a little older, when you can ride we'll go to see them. We can leave everyone else here, and just go the two of us, with Shaggy and Greywind. It can be our little adventure. We can go see Jon at the Wall, and Jeyne at Raventree, and perhaps even father, Bran and the girls in King's Landing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb didn't know what to expect Rickon would do after that, but that seemed to cheer him up a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you promise?" He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I promise," Robb told his brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat next to Rickon's bedside until his brother had finally drifted asleep, at which point, he finally left, and went back to his own chambers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he entered the room, he say that Myrcella had retired for the night as well, and was already in bed as well. Robb undressed, down to his nightclothes, before he joined her in bed. He kissed her gently on the cheek before he closed his eyes, yet after he did that, he heard her speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Robb, I have to tell you something," she said, causing him to open his eyes again. He realized that she hadn't been sleeping yet, and must have been waiting for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it?" Robb asked his wife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I spoke with Maester Luwin today about the sickness I was feeling of late. He told me that I may be with child." She responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb opened his mouth, but found that words weren't coming out as he hoped, so instead some random sounds came out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella giggled a little at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since his mouth failed him, instead moved himself a little closer to her, and hugged her protectively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you certain?" He finally managed to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maester Luwin says that I may need a little more time to tell, but I have not had my moon's blood since we wed. Mayhaps we even made him or her on our wedding night, like you were on your mother and father's wedding night." The princess replied optimistically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or them," Robb added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella smiled. "Well now, we ought not to be greedy." She scolded him. "We should wait before we tell everyone else though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb nodded at that. He knew he should feel blessed, for he was to be a father soon, yet he could barely handle things now, without a child of his own to raise. He found himself wondering how father could've possibly managed all these years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, then what should we call our little lordling or lady?" Robb asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we can wait before we make those kind of choices." Myrcella responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her on the lips. "Well, I can scarce sleep now, so I had best get as much as I can before they arrive." He said before rolling over to go and blow out the candles. When he returned to the bed, he lay down on his back next to her, while she moved to put her head on his chest to use it as a pillow. He stroked one of her golden curls, before he closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep, and soon found himself roaming the Godswood looking for food.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>Writing this time period is going to be a little weird since I'm just in a weird status of limbo with the characters still being a bit too consolidated, and I just needed something here to fill the space, so I designed this chapter, which is kinda meant to be like Robb and company having a Small Council meeting in Winterfell, but unfortunately, the dynamics just didn't work since it's only Robb and two people. Additionally, Robb isn't a POV character and is mostly observed through Bran and Catelyn which makes it a little difficult to get write his inner monologue. This chapter though probably would be massive if I could've gotten it to where I wanted.<br/>I find some chapters here are pretty easy to both plan out and actually write. Some are really hard to plan out and really hard to write, and some are really difficult to plan, yet somehow really easy to write. This is the first chapter that I've written that was easy to plan out, yet really hard to write.<br/>A big part of why this chapter took so long to get out is the simple fact that I took a break from it for a few days. I originally thought I might go through and rewrite it, but I just found myself going nowhere, but I did go ahead and write a good chunk of a chapter that is still pretty distantly ahead.<br/>I decided to give Robb a little more agency this time around as well.<br/>I'm going to continue my series where I complain about fanfiction tropes that I see that I don't like. In this chapter, we have needlessly crossing the Twins. I see way too many people that think the Twins allow one to go from North to South. They don't. They run East-West, and one can keep going south without crossing, following the Kingsroad, which is how Robb split his forces, with the infantry continuing south along the Kingsroad, while he crossed to go further west so he could break the siege of Riverrun.<br/>In this alternate universe though, they are heading to Raventree first, for Jeyne's wedding, which means they did have to cross the Twins, and Ned agreed to Walder's suggestions out of courtesy.<br/>Thank you for reading this far.<br/>Please leave a comment to let me know how you feel, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.<br/>If you are enjoying this, feel free to bookmark and leave kudos to your heart's content.<br/>A friendly reminder that I don't own ASOIAF</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Bran II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bran</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Bran awoke, his legs still felt sore, even though they hadn't even begun riding for the day. Eight days past they had crossed the Red Fork near the Inn of the Kneeling Man, where his ancestor, King Torrhen had bent the knee to King Aegon the Conqueror. After riding for eight days along the Riverroad, and now they were close to the Ruby Ford, where they would cross in two days, and then the next day they would stay in Lord Harroway's town, before continuing south along the Kingsroad. But they wouldn't be going anywhere until the day of their crossing since the King wanted to hunt and they were going to wait for the two councillors coming from King's Landing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran managed to get out of his bed, and began to put on his riding clothes. Arya had already awoken and was out of her bed and was already dressed, while Sansa still slept in her bed. Father had assured them that when they made it to King's Landing they would be allowed their own separate chambers, but for the nonce when they stayed at small inns they had to sleep in the same room together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hurry up Bran," Arya chided him while he was dressing himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>King Robert had slain Prince Rhaegar at the Ruby Ford, Bran knew, and he and Arya had been told that sometimes you could still find some of the rubies from his armor and so they had both decided to look for them before it was time to cross.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun had just begun to rise, and when Bran was done dressing himself, they opened the door to their room in the Inn they were staying at, and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nobody tried to stop them on their way out, and they quickly found Summer and Nymeria, while they also got their horses from the stables. Bran quickly mounted Dancer, while Arya mounted her own horse, and afterwards they rode out from the little camp that had emerged around the inn they were staying at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Summer and Nymeria oft scared other horses, Bran and Arya's horses had spent enough time around them that they didn't get scared around the wolves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got to the clearing where they had been told the Battle of the Trident was fought, they dismounted. Bran couldn't help but take in the scenery. He was further south than he had ever been in his life, and as they had journey south, Bran had gotten to see so new plants and trees that he had never seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them wandered the battle field a little, and went further down to the Riverbank to look for rubies, but shortly afterwards they gave up. When they were done, they drew the wooden broom handles they had stolen much earlier in their journey and began to practice with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They swatted back and forth at each other in their great 'battle' as Jon and Robb or Aegon and Daemon were want to do sometimes. They practiced for what felt like the whole day, though Bran knew it could not have been more than a few hours, and when they were done, Bran could feel that he had picked up at least a few new bruises to add to the collection that he already had. He only could hope that he had given Arya a few as well in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they had finished, Bran saw a figure must have been watching them for a while. As he looked at the person more he quickly realized it was their father, who looked upon them with a smile, though Bran could also see a bit of sadness in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Father!" Arya exclaimed a little surprised and with a tinge of panic in her voice Bran noted. The last thing they needed was to have been spotted, for father was like to take away their swords and forbid them from riding out again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are not in trouble." Their father replied, clearly having noticed the panic in Arya's voice and Bran's look of quiet submission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're not?" Arya said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father chuckled a little before responding. "No, of course not, you are still welcome to practice swords with each other. It is past time that I make suitable arrangements for you to be trained at arms anyways."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran did not fail to note that for most of that his father had been looking at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really?" Bran asked a little suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father nodded. "Now, come and follow me." He said gesturing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Bran and Arya did as they were bid, yet to their surprise, he did not lead them back to the Inn, but instead began to show them around the clearing a little more. He pointed out spots where he had fought, and recounted his memory of the battle. He even pointed them to where he had seen the King slay Prince Rhaegar, where he had smashed his great warhammer so hard into Prince Rhaegar's chest that rubies had flown everywhere, and afterwards how the Prince's forces broke afterwards, with those closest to Rhaegar trying to catch rubies, while the rest fell quickly or surrendered after seeing the battle was hopeless. Bran took it all in with awe, and promised himself that he would one day perform great feats like King Robert had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was not yet even midday, when their father had finished recounting his tale, and telling them of what had happened. Afterwards, their father lead them back to the mouth of the clearing near where their horses were. Their father mounted his horse, and told them to not remain too long, but said they could continue their battle they had been fighting before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again they practiced with the wooden swords, but shortly afterwards both of them felt tired, and hungry and so they decided to return to the inn. It was a quick ride back to the inn, and they found themselves just in time for lunch. Despite being dirty from riding, and their practicing earlier, they ate next to Prince Tommen and some of the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ate fresh trout that had been caught from the river, and even were able to drink some wine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he finished eating, Bran found Summer and Dancer, and set off again, this time on his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rather than going to the battle field, he explored some of the caves near the Riverbank, climbed some of the tall trees that he saw, and at one point he and Summer even tracked a shadow cat all the way back to it's lair, and later, Summer went off, and shortly afterwards returned his mouth red with blood, and bid him follow. Summer lead him to a dear that he found and killed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran hadn't been sure what to do at that, but he queerly felt a taste of blood in his own mouth that made him feel hungry. He tried to drag the doe back to the inn, but found it was too heavy. Ultimately, he was able to drag the it back to the path that he had been on with some help from Summer as well. Luckily, Summer had only taken a bite out of the animal's neck, and hadn't begun to devour it, so they didn't ruin any meat by dragging it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after making it to path, one of the men at arms, Harwin, came upon him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you do some hunting yourself Bran?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Summer did." Bran told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, then we had best get it back to the Inn. The sun should be setting soon, and the King hasn't returned from his hunt, so perhaps he'll be pleased to find out at least someone killed something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harwin bid Bran hold the dear a certain way, then took out a knife and cut the deer's stomach open, before he began to take out some of it's guts. Bran had never seen a deer be dressed before, and looked on with morbid fascination, while Summer happily ate some of the parts that Harwin cut out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Harwin was done, the two together slung the dear over his horse, and tied it on with some rope, before returning back to the Inn, though Summer did not follow, content to finish eating what he wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was almost time for dinner by the time they made it back, and some seemed a little shocked to see that they had brought a deer back with them. The King had yet to return from his hunt he heard, so the doe made a decent consolation . Only Arya seemed particularly displeased as all Nymeria had caught was a rabbit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner came and went before the King had returned from his hunt. Bran learned that Prince Joffrey and Sansa had adventured out as well, though they had gone without Lady, who Bran had seen earlier still at the Inn when he returned for lunch.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>And here we have one of those chapters that was pretty rough to map out, but easy to write.<br/>We don't have a fully accurate geographical location of Raventree (it doesn't appear on any of the official maps that can be found in the original books), however most maps have it North of the Red Fork, and I went with that as it's geographical location, though I did see one that had it south of the Red Fork. However, I also have Lord Harroway's town being across the Trident after one crosses at the Ruby Ford, and not North of the Red Fork.<br/>A note on timelines: I am playing fast and loose at the moment, mostly because I still have the original structure and sequence of events in AGOT to follow. At some point, I will likely begin to have a full timeline with every event mapped out, however at the moment, things are still fast and loose.<br/>Thank you for reading this far, it means a lot. Your comments are much appreciated, and all feedback is welcome. Feel free to boomark and give kudos if you're into that sort of thing as well.<br/>Sadly, I still don't own ASOIAF</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Myrcella II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Myrcella</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella awoke to the sounds of a wolf howling in the distance. Greywind, she recognized, when she heard it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to her, Robb was still soundly asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella felt a little light headed, but she decided to get up anyways, and had to adjust Robb a little to do so, but managed to not disturb him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood bare in front of the mirror that they had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her golden hair was all messy from sleep, and her green eyes were the same as ever. Yet, when she looked down, she saw that her breasts were larger and her nipples were darker and her belly had started to grow the slightest bit as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put on her night clothes that she had thrown onto the ground the night before and went to pay a visit to a chamberpot, before she returned to their bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she did, she decided to get back in bed. She felt more tired now than usual, and so she crawled back into bed with Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb had been having troubles waking of late, and oft called out in his sleep which had not made matters better for either of them, though he had begun to find more time to sleep after she had told him that she was with child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They still had yet to tell anyone and their child was only known to Maester Luwin, Robb and Myrcella herself. Sometime they would need to tell them she knew, but neither she nor Robb wanted to yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella laid her head down back on Robb's chest, and let herself listen as Robb's chest rose and fell with each breath he took.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, Myrcella must have drifted back to sleep, because when she awoke, she found Robb was rubbing her belly. Outside she could only hear Shaggydog was howling now, and Greywind had stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb must have been a little shocked to see her awake as when his eyes met hers he slightly recoiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My lady... I had not thought you were awake." Robb said a little nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn't." She told him, as she began to stretch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I suppose we should rise now. Maester Luwin is allowing me to have a day free of lessons, since the Freys father agreed to have come here are arriving."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella nodded a little at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb seemingly lept out of the bed, having already been dressed, and walked out the door, leaving Myrcella alone. Today, it was Samantha who helped her dress, though Myrcella did it in silence, before she herself left their chambers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wandered the castle a little, unsure of where Robb might have gone, until she finally encountered him near the inner Eastern Gate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They are almost here." Robb told her. "We had best go to the Hall where we can greet them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Together, having taken each other's hand, they walked to the Great Hall where they would greet them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella took her seat next to Robb as befits the Lady of Winterfell, or at least the acting Lady of Winterfell, with Lady Catelyn no longer there. Some food was brought for them to eat, which she ended up devouring with hardly any thought, and ended up asking for more. She had been warned her appetite might change, yet she hardly had expected it to be this much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short time afterwards, four boys and two girls entered the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The one of the left was the tallest and clearly the oldest. He only wore the twin tower of Frey on his surcoat. He had brown hair that went all the way to his shoulders and brown eyes, and a comely face, with skin pale enough to perhaps even rival Daenerys's. He was only a little taller than Robb, she noted, despite the near two years that separated them in age. He must be Olyvar, Myrcella guessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was joined by who Myrcella knew to be her cousin Ty, who Lord Eddard had arranged for Robb to take as a squire. Myrcella wondered if Robb truly needed one at the age of just four and ten, when his squire was only a year younger than him, but it wasn’t her place to question her good-father’s judgement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy next to him was much younger, and wore a silver-grey lambswool doublet with dark blue trim. He was skinny, small and had a fox-like appearance to him that might have made her think him a Florent, were it not for that his arms being the quartered towers of Frey, with the tree and ravens of Blackwood, and the twinned snakes of Paege.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet the fourth boy could hardly be described as a twin to him. He was half a foot taller than the other boy for a start. He also wore a silver-grey lambswool doublet with dark blue trim, yet that, their shared dark brown hair that was so dark it was almost black and the Towers of Frey they bore were the only similarity the two bore. His arms were quartered with the plowman of Darry, and the boar of Crakehall. In truth, the boy had a pig-like appearance to him, with a red face and round belly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other two she would not have known were it not for the black dragon one wore on their banners, the arms of House Vance. That was Marianne, Myrcella realized, who was to be Lady Catelyn’s cupbearer, though Lady Catelyn wasn’t there. What they were to do with her, Myrcella did not know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the other was Arwyn, Myrcella pieced together, who was to be a female companion of hers. Myrcella felt she had more than enough already, but it didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Welcome to Winterfell, my lords." Robb greeted them. They weren't truly lords, Myrcella knew, but Robb still addressed them as such.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, my lord," the eldest replied. "I am Olyvar, and next to me are my nephews, Tywin, and Big Walder Frey and Little Walder,” he said, pointing to indicate which was which. Apparently someone at the Twins had a sense of human as the one they called big was the small one, while the one they called little was much larger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The maid, Marianne quickly introduced herself as well, followed by Arwyn</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Courtesies were exchanged between them before Robb invited them to be seen to their chambers, and called for one of the serving men to show them, which they accepted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they left, Myrcella felt a little relief. They had the rest of the day for whatever they wanted. She let Arwyn go about as she pleased, while Robb did the same with Ty and Olyvar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They exited the hall, and made for the direction of the kennels where Greywind was being kept. Robb took one of the keys that he carried with him and used it to allow Greywind out, who immediately came out and began to trail them. Myrcella closed the door for Robb, though it took a little more effort than she would have thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, they began to walk in the direction of the Godswood. Myrcella still didn't quite feel welcome in the Godswood, but when she went there with Robb, she felt much more welcome, as none were like to object to her presence with him there, and doubly so with Greywind and their child that she carried. As they were walking though, Theon ambushed them from behind when they were exiting the courtyard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Care for a bout Robb?" Theon asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb quickly glanced down at himself, before he looked up and raised his arms. "I am unarmed and unarmored. I think you would win."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon smirked in triumph. "Well, be on your way then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so they were, only Robb first went to the armory to grab his sword belt, and put it on, before he returned to her. "Jon was right, Theon is an ass." He said a little grumpily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that they walked in silence into the Godswood, following the path she had followed on the night of their wedding, before they found themselves by the Heart Tree that they had been joined together at. When they got there, Robb knelt and began to quietly pray.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he did so, Myrcella found herself staring at the black seemingly bottomless pool. Their child would learn to swim there, she realized, and it would likely be this tree they would pray in front of this tree, and perhaps even be wed here as she was. The thought made her feel strange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short while later Robb rose again from near the Weirwood, breathing a little deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What prayers do you say?" Myrcella blurted curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb studied her face for a moment, seemingly trying to judge whether or not she was serious and contemplating what to say, before he shrugged his shoulders a little. "I pray for mother and father, for Jon, for Jeyne, for Rickon, for the girls and Bran, for strength and wisdom, and our child... And for you, my lady. There's no true prayers that we are taught for the Old Gods like there are with the Seven, you just pray for whatever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's that simple?" She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, you don't lie before a Heart Tree. Other than that, there's nothing," Robb replied. "What did you expect?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I had thought it might be more than that, my lord." She told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb nodded before he seated himself, on the Weirwood, back up against the great trunk of the Weirwood, and beckoned her to take a seat next to him and so she did. When she sat down, Greywind nuzzled his head onto her lap as well, while Robb put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her a little closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My mother told me once that she didn't always feel welcome here. She had come to feel welcome everywhere else, but never here." Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella contemplated that. When she had met Lady Catelyn she had thought her the perfect Lady of Winterfell, yet in not yet even half a year of marriage she had managed what Lady Catelyn couldn't in five and ten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't feel unwelcome here." She assured Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb responded to her with a simple, "Good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella queerly felt a sudden rush of tiredness wash over her, and just like that she found herself no longer seated next to Robb. Instead, she saw three girls in the woods, each wearing brown cloaks, entering a tent that reeked of death. The one who lead them Myrcella thought looked very familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, the scene shifted, and she saw the same girl who looked like her pushing one of the other girls into a well, with her emerald green eyes blazing like Wildfire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next she saw the actual substance of wildfire blazing from a castle, consuming it, while a woman that looked a bit like Daenerys was giving birth, and a rather tall running into the burning castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, she was in the great ruin of Harrenhal, where a tourney was being held. A man who wore black armor seemed to have been crowned the victor, much to the delight of the crowd in attendance. A crown of blue winter roses was placed on the end of his lance, and the prince began to ride, to crown a queen of love and beauty. Yet, when he rode past a dornish woman, the crowd fell silent, and instead placed it on the head of a woman seated next to what she could only guess were her father and Lord Eddard when they were younger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then found herself deep in the bowels of Casterly Rock, surrounded by great gargoyles, looking at her and judging her with cold stone eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then a fog rushed in, and Myrcella found herself floating down a river. She found herself drifting towards the shore, and much as she wanted to, she couldn't swim elsewhere. A cloaked man was waiting there for her, and pulled off his hood to reveal golden hair. He kissed her on the lips, though she noted his lips were cold, before he pushed her back out, and this time, rather than floating, she began to sink. She tried to kick and move, yet her limbs had gone stiff as stone, and she saw the surface grow more and more distant, before everything went black.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The darkness loomed over her for what felt an eternity, until eventually she began to see a single torch in front of her, illuminating a dragon egg. She felt an urge to touch and hold the egg. At first it was colder than ice, yet it quickly warmed. Myrcella tried to drop it or let it go, but it was stuck in her hands, becoming hotter and hotter. It was burning her hands, and inside she could feel something vibrating, trying to escape, until it exploded, and Myrcella awoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She must've lashed out when she awoke, as Robb was holding his face. "Ow, what was that for?" He asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella took a moment to try and steady her breath. She looked around, and saw that she was back in the Godswood with Robb and Greywind, seated with her back to Heart Tree. She must've been sleeping, yet when her palms still hurt. She brought them in front of her face, and she saw they were red as though she had been out during a summer day when the sun was out for too long. And more worryingly there was a little smoke emitting from them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I... I'm sorry Robb." She quickly said. "How long was I asleep?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb moved the hand that had been covering his face and grabbed one of Myrcella's hands. "You were just talking to me a minute or two before, and then you lashed out. What's wrong with your hand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing," she said pulling her hand back to herself. "Did I hurt you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've had much worse than being punched in the face by my wife." He said rubbing his still red cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella looked around again. She didn't feel comfortable there anymore, so she stood up and began to leave, despite a wave of nausea flowing over her as she rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb quickly got up as well, and caught up to her before she could get far. "What happened?" he inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want to talk about it." Myrcella told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his credit, Robb didn't ask her about it after that, and instead they walked through the Godswood just has they had before, in silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally were out of the Godswood, Myrcella half expected Robb to begin to take her to the Maester's Turret, yet to her surprise, he instead led her to the library tower. The fire had cost them near a third of the collection that resided within the tower, and required them to undergo some repairs, but the library was back to being functional once more now. They seated themselves across from one of the Targaryen twins, Aegon, who quickly realized who was reading a book already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella looked down to see Greywind was agitated by something, when a red haired man she had never seen before and clearly was not from Winterfell stepped out from behind a bookshelf and came into view. She noted the man flashed her a look of disgust and hate, before he stepped up the table they were at, and unsheathed his sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She called to Robb, yet he had gone to go find a book, and was no longer seated next to her. Luckily Aegon noticed the man as well, however he didn't seem to have any arms to fight with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her only relief came when the man rather than using the sword to cut her in half went down on one knee, holding his sword to the floor in a symbol of swearing fealty. "Your grace, I am asking for your pardon that it took me this long to come to you. I was once a friend to your father, and I hope that I may be able to serve you better than I once served him." The man said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rise." Aegon told the man, while Myrcella could hear Robb was running down the stairs to come to her. "Pray tell, who are you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man rose to address him, and sheathed his sword. "I am Jon Connington, once Hand to your grandfather, King Aerys, and Lord of Griffin's Roost."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aegon considered that. "My lord, I am no King, his grace, Robert Baratheon is now." He said, which caused the man claiming to be Jon Connington to give a look of disappointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella felt Robb behind her holding her protectively, and he had begun to ask her what was the matter before he quickly realized what was the issue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man took note of Robb as well, and gave him a look of dislike. "Even if you are no king, I can serve you." He stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Very well, I accept you into my service, my lord, humble though it may be." Aegon told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, my prince. I shall serve you to the best of my ability from this day until my last day."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>You'll probably notice that throughout the last few chapters I've been rearranging and interpreting events from the original series. There's a reason for that, as at this point I'm correcting course around the fact that Bran didn't fall. So some minor details and scenes have occurred with slightly different contexts, but I also do try to give reasons for those changes, and this allows me to keep things similar enough to the original story, while still actually writing stuff. However, this will not be the case forever, and by the time we get to the end of what was originally ACOK the story will be officially unrecognizable save the characters, but for now, the story's original structure is still mostly intact.<br/>Robb and Myrcella addressing each other with formal titles while in private is consistent with the books and I think I might have messed up with the last Robb chapter where I didn't have them do so. However in the future, you will see them do so. I felt like I probably just needed a chapter to develop these two with their relationship, and so I did.<br/>I'll also try to make sure that in the future not all Robb and Myrcella chapters begin with them waking up. Unfortunately, I have Tyrion slotted to arrive in like two chapters I think, which will mean most likely they have another chapter with them waking up. Luckily, this chapter didn't end with them in bed falling asleep, so I guess that's progress.<br/>Thanks for reading this far, and for all the kudos and bookmarks. As a reminder, all comments are 100% appreciated. I enjoy hearing what you guys think and have to say about the story and your feedback helps give me more motivation to keep writing.<br/>Obligatory reminder that I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Rhaenys II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rhaenys</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though the system of hot springs always kept the castle warm, Rhaenys’s chambers had a fire lit. Their chamber wasn’t as warm as some of the others in the Great Keep, but it was still warm, at least to the others.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys had always had a bit of an obsession with fire, and she found her gaze drifting to the flames. She remembered a time before she had seen even her sixth nameday, someone told her that her father, Prince Rhaegar had been a dragon, Ser Arthur most like. When she heard that, she had gotten the idea in her head to stick her hand into a fireplace, since she had known Dragons were fire made flesh, so it could hardly hurt her. Only, it had, and when Ser Gerold Hightower found her crying afterwards she had to be taken to Maester Edwyle and had her hand bandaged for a few months afterwards, and even now the skin on her right hand still had some scars from that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon though didn’t appreciate the warmth as much, and when they had finished making love, Theon rolled off of her, and rose to open the window ever so slightly. When he did, a small bit of cool air came rushing into the room, and so Rhaenys took cover underneath the furs in their bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much of the weight she had put on while carrying Goren had faded by now, though her belly still protruded out a bit, and her hips were not smooth and curved like normal, while her breasts were larger and used for feeding Yara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon crawled back into the bed and laid beside her, his seed was still moist in her cunt, and her thighs still ached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the window open, now Rhaenys could hear the wolves howling outside. Casella and Rickon loved to play with the wolves, she knew, and now with the Walders having come, she could spend more of her time with Goren who was thankfully sound asleep in the next room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thoughts of her children though made her think of her own childhood, breathlessly running barefoot through the godswood, playing games with Aegon, Daemon, Daenerys, Robb, Jon and Jeyne, like Come Into my Castle, or Jenny of Oldstones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet now, she was a woman wed with two children of her own, Jon was at the Wall, Jeyne was down south, Robb was acting Lord of Winterfell, and married to a Princess who carried his child, Aegon and Daemon now spent most their days in the yard fighting and training, which only left Daenerys, the youngest of them who spent she had spent the least amount of time with. Daenerys had always been a solitary child, whilst Jon, Robb, Aegon and Daemon played with swords, and Rhaenys and Sansa took instruction from Septa Mordane, Daenerys had preferred to lose herself in books, a trait that had not faded with time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She also wondered about her cousins down in Dorne, and what they were doing. She could only remember meeting them once, for her ninth name day, when she visited her mother at Sunspear. Arianne, Quentyn, Trystane and all of Oberyn’s children. They had played in the water gardens, and gone riding on Dornish sand steeds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with the warm springs, the fire and the furs that covered her, Rhaenys found herself shivering, due to the air coming from outside. She had lived in the North for as long as she could remember and even dealt with a Northern winter, yet she was still less tolerant of the cold than Theon, who had barely lived in Winterfell for half of his life, she might have found it slightly more ironic if she was less cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon soon fell asleep, but Rhaenys remained restless. She was still cold, and so soon after she left the bed to shut the window again. Outside, she could hear Greywind and Shaggydog singing as Robb called it in harmony. The full moon loomed bright in the distance, as did the stars which she could have sworn she heard whisper to her, perhaps she was hallucinating, though she could not guess why. Rhaenys quickly shut the window, and returned to her bed, unnerved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside their door she knew Ser Arthur was standing watch. After the attack on Goren, and the exile Lord Connington slipping inside the castle to pledge his services to Aegon, Arthur, Oswell and Barristan had all decided that they needed to be more vigilant, and as a result one of the three was always alongside Rhaenys. She had tried to protest, but Robb, Aegon and the three kingsguard had ignored her. Daemon and Aegon also had guards at all times now, though not necessarily one of the white knights, and carried their swords with them at all times. Daenerys had also been assigned guards, but they had little to do, watching her in the library. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys noticed that she was warmer again now, and then she felt her thoughts drifting to life Theon had told her of, that awaited them one day. The islands he would one day rule with her at his side, the castle they would do it from, and what little he had told her of his family, his two dead brothers, his sister. His mad uncle, his deranged uncle and his dense uncle. A thought quickly hit her, Theon’s Uncles, and perhaps even his sister might challenge his claim to Pyke. Theon had lived in the North for half his life, and then married a Greenlander as she would be called there. She turned and shook Theon awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should go to Pyke, my lord.” She suggested to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon was taken aback by the notion, Rhaenys could see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he could say anything, she continued. “You are to one day rule Pyke, and Goren will do so after you. He needs to know the place before then, as do you. It will not do to keep you here at Winterfell until your father dies. I am not of the Isles, either and am not like to win you any love there. You need to be there, so they do not reject you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon still wore a look of shock on his face. “What about your brothers?” He asked her, clearly going with the first of many objections he had just thought of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are men grown and don’t need me. Aegon, Daemon and Daenerys will be fine without me, as Robb will be fine without you. Only Goren and Casella need us.” She said in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He considered it for a moment. “Lord Eddard will not let me go, my lady. I am still a hostage here, should my father presume to make himself a king again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He won’t. Your father no doubt remembers the destruction that was brought down upon him the last time he tried, and you are to be a lord, yet have not seen those lands in near ten years. Lord Eddard will see reason in it.” She told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have never met my father Rhaenys,” Theon sighed, “He will not take well to you, and probably is already plotting how he could rise up again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Eddard doesn’t know that,” replied Rhaenys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He knows my father well enough to keep me here, that much is for certain.” Theon objected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys pondered that for a moment. “Even so Theon, you have to go at some point, your uncles or your sister will take power if you don’t. Even if you go alone, you will have to go, that cannot be avoided.” Surely he must see it, she thought, else it was all for naught.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon’s reply was cut off by a knock at the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a moment.” Rhaenys responded before she got out of bed and moved to the dresser and grabbed a nightgown. Once she had donned the garb, she opened the door, while Theon remained under the furs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, she saw Ser Arthur was still standing his vigil, while Aegon stood before her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aegon?” She asked, surprised. “What are you here for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was a letter from Sunspear, you will want to read.” He said, extending his hand with a letter in it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys was confused, but after a second’s hesitation she took the letter. The broken wax seal displayed the Martell sun and spear, and hands trembling she felt a sense of dread wash over her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She read the letter twice before she looked up at Aegon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother… She’s coming?” Rhaenys asked him, not quite able to believe it. She had been sure that they would never see their mother again, or at least never at Winterfell, so to hear of their mother making such a trip now shocked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it would seem so.” He replied. In the dim light, his purple eyes lacked their usual colouration. In her youth, Rhaenys had secretly envied her brothers, with their father’s purple eyes and silver hair, while she had been given her mother’s Dornish features. In the dark though, there was hardly a difference at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys gave her brother a hug and a kiss on the cheek before she walked back over to the bed she shared with Theon, closing the door behind her, and taking off the nightgown she had put on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she got back into the bed, Theon moved himself closer to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother is coming?” Theon asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Rhaenys replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she had thought to ask him how he felt about that, but she knew what he did, even if he would not say it. She could see a look of sadness and even a little jealousy beneath his blue smiling eyes. In the nine years he had spent at Winterfell, Theon had never been able to see his mother or father, not even for their wedding, which had been the last time Rhaenys had seen her own mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I agree with you,” said Theon, “About the Iron Islands. We should go, but Lord Stark will never agree.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought on that for a moment. She was glad she had been able to convince him, yet Theon still was defeated hardly something that was like to win him respect on the Isles she had been told of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of replying, she rolled her naked body on top of Theon, and kissed him on the lips. She could sense his arousal in response, and as she rolled back off of him, he moved on top of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wrapped her legs around his waist, while she began to guide his cock into her. As he entered her, her nails clawed at his back, while their lips remained locked together, and their hips quickly found an even rhythm as they moved back and forth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With each thrust, Rhaenys found an increased desire to cry out, as pleasure built up in her loins. Her climax came shortly afterwards, which was quickly followed when Theon spent his seed inside of her, before he rolled off of her again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was finished, she pulled the furs up over her, and began to rest her head down, drifting to sleep with the only sounds being from the fire, Theon or her own breathing, and the strange whispering of the stars. That night, her sleep was troubled by dreams. Dreams of a stag blown over by a great wind, a great dance between a lion and a wolf, and moon’s blood, which she awoke to.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>Okay, so I'm sorry for the month long wait for an update. I've had some pretty bad writer's block, changed my vision a little, and been dealing with a few problems in my personal life. In my original outline I only had 2 Rhaenys chapters (this was not one of them), through the end of what is originally AGOT, however that number has grown to around 6. That could absolutely change though.<br/>In the end, my biggest problem has been, and still is the fact that I just have too many characters in Winterfell at this point, without enough internal conflict or intrigue, which makes it a bit difficult, and is in part why I feel my chapters are a bit formulaic (one thing happens, then another, then another, than the end) and each chapter feels pretty similar to the last. I'm hoping this issue will be resolved soon from a storytelling perspective, however from a real-life time perspective, the biggest issue is that it makes it harder to write these chapters and they take longer, and the night is darkest before the dawn, and things will be a little worse before they get better.<br/>Luckily, I did find a Beta, so that’s great.<br/>Next stop is the Wall, so get hyped for that.<br/>Thank you guys for all the comments and kudos, they are much appreciated, and a reminder that all new ones are more than welcome.<br/>In case you missed it, I don’t own ASOIAF</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Jon I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon</p><p>His sword met with Grenn’s swing at him, which was powerful, yet easily dealt with, before pushing his weight forwards and sending Grenn stumbling. Grenn’s counter attack was dodged, and then Jon tripped him up, sending his foe tumbling into the ground. Grenn’s sword went skidding away, and Jon picked it up. </p><p>“Enough.” the voice of Ser Alliser roared. All the recruits stopped. “That was a disgrace,” said Ser Alliser, “It is fortunate for you that the watch needs stableboys as well as rangers. Tomorrow, you will have your first taste of duties, they are on a list in the great hall, if any of you can read. I can stomach no more ineptitude today, that will be all.”</p><p>Jon walked to the armoury alone. There was not one amongst them that he could call a friend, and all were at least two years his senior, and worse fighters than Robb or himself at four and ten. The more time that Jon spent with them, the more that he despised them. He hung his sword and scabbard on a hook in the wall, then began to remove his mail and leather. Despite the iron braziers at either end of the room, the chill was constant. In a few years, he would not know what it was like to be warm he did not doubt.</p><p>He had waited anxiously for Benjen to return from his ranging, and whilst his uncle had returned a few days past, he had immediately rushed off to see the Lord Commander, and Jon had hardly seen him since. They all knew, he thought, and none of them would tell me what it would be like.</p><p>When he was done removing his mail, he sighed and headed to the great hall, for dinner, and he would learn what he had been assigned for tomorrow. With his luck, and Alliser Thorne’s animosity, it would likely be shovelling horse shit he knew.</p><p>Jon sat at a table alone, and quickly ate his meagre dinner of a stew, though it hardly fit the name. The other recruits were some distance away, ignoring Jon just as he was ignoring them. Benjen sat a world away, at the high table, talking with the other officers.</p><p>At some point, somebody saw fit to come and tell Jon his assignment that he would be doing on the morrow, and to his surprise, he would be going beyond the Wall, with Uncle Benjen. A short while after though, he retired to his rooms after that and spent the rest of the evening alone with Ghost.</p><p>Jon wondered why his uncle had chosen to live the rest of his life at the Wall, when he could see there were so many problems, and why he himself still felt queerly drawn to it.</p><p>He thought about his siblings now and what they were doing. Jeyne was no doubt a woman wed now, he realized, unsure whether he ought to be sad or happy for her. Jon thought about Robb when he had last seen him, with snow melting in his auburn hair, and Rickon who had been weeping at the fact everybody was leaving, and tried to go with him to the Wall. Bran had sworn he would be brave and that it would be an adventure, while Sansa had as always been the calm and noble lady.</p><p>It was Arya who he wondered about the most though, and the Needle he had given her as a parting gift. He wondered if she still had it with her, or if father had found it and had her give it up. In any case, it was thoughts of her that Jon ended up finding himself drifting asleep to that night.</p><p>Like most nights, he found himself in the skin of a wolf when he drifted off, yet it was queerly different this night. He was in a wolf, yet it did not seem to be Ghost. He wasn’t trapped in the kennels or his room.His senses were no different than they were with Ghost, yet everything else was. He was surrounded by trees in a wood he did not know, yet what stood out most to him was the massive, twisted tree before him. It was a Weirwood, yet it seemed to be a mix between the white of a Weirwood, and stony grey.</p><p>The confusion was furthered when next to the wolf, a familiar figure who was on her knees was yawning, and began to curl up next to the tree, closing her grey eyes as she did so.</p><p>In the sky, no stars could be seen thanks to the clouds that covered them.</p><p>Jon wanted to move over to the girl laying next to the tree, and the wolf obliged.</p><p>Her face was just as he remembered, and Jon through the wolf nuzzled his nose next to her face, and he was tempted to simply lay there beside her, when he sensed another had entered.</p><p>The presence felt familiar, comforting almost, though immediately it’s whims and wishes were given precedence to his own, though he did not mind. It felt good even, he felt whole truly.</p><p>Yet he could also sense the feelings of the other presence, thoughts of loneliness and sadness began to take hold.</p><p>The wolf began to move around, throughout the wooded area, leaving the girl by the tree. There was little game to be had here, thanks to the walls that surrounded it, and no large animals would have been spotted here in thousands of years, though smaller meals like rabbits could be found.</p><p>As the night passed, the other began to calm and feel relieved, though the sadness would not leave. The one that didn’t belong felt his presence begin to fade, becoming lesser and lesser within this other skin, melding into the one that did.</p><p>The other animals of the woods were not out tonight, and the great, silver-eyed wolf found no food, but it did not matter. It was only as the sun began to rise in the distance, that the wolf returned to the stony tree.</p><p>Jon could sense the other presence was leaving, and he had to do something, he couldn’t let her leave. ‘Jeyne,’ he called out in their minds, yet he got no answer. So instead he tried to latch on to her instead, and just then he was no longer a wolf, but human again.</p><p>A shudder passed before Jon realized he was still in the woods, and not back at Castle Black.</p><p>‘Jon?’ He heard the other whisper back, ringing throughout his mind. A voice he had feared he may never hear again. Yet he could hear a sense of panic as well in their, one of uncertainty. ‘Come back…’ She said, her voice fading.</p><p>Just then, Jon could feel as though he were leaving, and suddenly he was back in his dark quarters at Castle Black. Ghost was there laying on the floor, asleep, and it was cold, so cold. All the candles were out, as was the fire, yet Jon did not want to rise to light them, so instead he stayed under the covers, shivering. He felt empty and lonely, and there was nothing he could do about it.</p><p>As morning dawned, Jon set out with his uncle, and two other rangers, Dywen and Malladore Locke, as well as two of the other recruits, Green and Halder. They were all mounted on garons, headed northwards. It would only be a short trip, but it would be the furthest past the wall that Jon had ever been.</p><p>Jon still couldn’t help but to think of his dreams. Had they been real? How had he been there with Jeyne? And how did he find himself in her?</p><p>He kept to himself all through the morning hours. It was only that they stopped near midday that he spoke when his uncle came over to him.</p><p>“What’s troubling you Jon?” His uncle asked him as they ate.</p><p>“Nothing,” Jon replied quickly.</p><p>“I know you better than that, Jon. Something is wrong, that much is obvious.” Benjen replied quickly.</p><p>Jon hesitated for a moment, thinking what to tell him. “I had strange dreams last night.” He finally said, making it clear he did not want to speak more on the matter and thankfully Benjen didn’t press further on the matter. </p><p>Instead they talked about what they had seen that morning, before they mounted again, and continued riding.</p><p>They had ridden for almost four hours when the garons suddenly stopped. It was darker now, night was closing in quickly. They were still a little far off from the Wall, and would be sleeping the night North of it.</p><p>Jon spotted two Golden eyes, on a ridge a short way off.</p><p>‘Get down,’ Benjen murmured, dismounting his garron, tensing and putting his hand on his sword. Jon and the others followed his lead and dismounted as well.</p><p>It was only now that he noticed that Ghost was missing. The eyes were gone as well though. Benjen led his garron through a gap in the trees slightly to the right. Jon followed him. They entered a grove, a weirwood grove.</p><p>They began to set up their camp, with Uncle Benjen and Dywen working to build a fire, while the rest began setting up where they would be sleeping that night.</p><p>“Ghost is missing,” Jon said when he had finished setting up his and seeing how the albino wolf had yet to return.</p><p>“He’ll be fine,” replied Benjen, “It’s us who I’m worried for, but we will be safe here, we can’t go back tonight. Get some rest, I’ll take the first watch.” </p><p>Jon laid down and fell asleep quickly, tired after a long day.</p><p>His sleep tonight came without dreams at all, and it was only a little later that he felt Grenn was shaking him awake. “Lord Snow, it’s your turn for watch.” He said, and so Jon rose. He didn’t feel tired anymore, strangely.</p><p>Jon sat by the dimming fire they had lit earlier, with his hand on his sword. He felt nervous and on edge for some reason, though he couldn’t understand why. Not far in the distance, Jon could see a tree covered in a murder of ravens. He could hear something was moving around, but he could not see them, and none entered the grove. He felt tempted to wake the others.</p><p> Suddenly, he saw a pair of red eyes flash in the distance, surprising Jon. It must have been Ghost, Jon realized, but what Ghost was doing was beyond him. He felt a strange urge to follow Ghost, almost as though he were in a trance. He knew he should’ve woken one of the others before he did so, yet he couldn’t.  He tried to shout but said nothing. Just as he was about to catch up with Ghost, he stumbled, landing on a bundle.</p><p>Jon looked down on what he had nearly fallen on. It seemed to be the black cloak of a Night’s Watchman, fairly recently placed and hardly worn. Was this put by Ser Waymar or one of his company, he wondered.</p><p> He opened it, inside lay a sword, and several black daggers, arrowheads and spear tips.</p><p>The sword was what most piqued his interest. The longsword had a slender handle, with a dragon’s head on the pummel, and some jeweled inlay on the hilt. But most interestingly was how rippled the steel was. Jon touched his finger to the blade, and found quickly blood was welling on it despite feeling no pain, or even pushing on it.</p><p>“Ghost?” He called out to his wolf, though he was surprised to find Ghost had come back to him. “How?” he asked to no response.</p><p>Jon wrapped the bundle back up, and rose, though he couldn’t remember his way back, save for the trail in the snow he had left when walking there. And this time, Ghost came back to the Grove beside him as well. </p><p>It took longer back to the grove than he remembered as well, though none of the others had awoken in his absence. Only the fire was down to embers, so he added some wood to it so it did not die out.</p><p>When he finished, Jon sat on a log close to the fire, and picked up the Sword, to examine it. It was lighter than his own sword that he wore in his scabbard despite it being bigger. And the rippling patterns he only remembered seeing in blades of Valyrian Steel.</p><p>Much as he didn’t want to, he decided to wake his uncle. “Benjen,” Jon said, as he shook him.</p><p>“Jon,” said Benjen, as he woke. “What is it?”</p><p>“Ghost is back,” replied Jon. “And I found a sword. I think it might be Valyrian Steel.”</p><p>Benjen rose, and took a seat next to the fire, before Jon passed him the sword. His uncle studied it carefully in the light of the fire for a bit. </p><p>“Where did you find it?” He finally asked.</p><p>“I didn’t, Ghost did. I saw him and began to follow him until I tripped on this.” He said, moving the bag to indicate what he had stumbled on.</p><p>Benjen had a troubled look on his face, the first time Jon had ever seen his uncle truly look sad, before he handed Jon the sword back. “It must be Valyrian Steel, I do not doubt, Dark Sister if I had to place a name to it.”</p><p>Jon considered that for a moment. He held Dark Sister, one of the ancient lost swords of House Targaryen, wielded by Aegon’s sister-queen Visenya, Daemon, the Rogue Prince, and a Brynden Rivers, lord Bloodraven.</p><p>“What should I do with it?” He asked. </p><p>Uncle Benjen thought about it for a moment. “You found it. I think that makes it yours. Your mother would be glad to know you wield it.” He said, and Jon could see a tear tracing down his face.</p><p>“You know about my mother?” Jon asked, realizing they were being watched by the Old Gods. His uncle would not lie.</p><p>“Aye.” He replied, looking around at those around them, to ensure they were still sleeping.</p><p>“What was she like?” He inquired desperately, knowing that for once he might get an answer.</p><p>“There is little I could tell you about her that you already would have been told.” His uncle replied, still making sure none of the others was stirring, though that only confused him more.</p><p>“Who? Why would father…” His voice trailed off.</p><p>Uncle Benjen remained silent for a moment after that, before he spoke again in a hushed voice. “He didn’t.”</p><p>“Then who? You?” Jon asked. He wasn’t the son of Lord Eddard? Why would his father lie? Jon’s head began to swim with questions.</p><p>Benjen only gave a little chuckle at that, before he spoke again, whispering even quieter than before. “Your father may have wielded that sword if it were not lost, mayhaps even won if he had it. Ned and I are not the only children of Lord Rickard…”</p><p>Jon thought about that, with a sense of donning horror. His father was the Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and his mother must have been Lyanna Stark he realized.</p><p>“That means Jeyne as well, right? Why would father lie?” Jon’s mind was racing now.</p><p>“No. Jeyne is not your sister in truth. Your father only called you as such to protect you. She was born to Ashara Dayne, and fathered by our other brother, Brandon.” He said, with a tinge of pain still lingering in his voice.</p><p>Just then, they heard Malldaor Locke was moving a little. Jon wanted to ask more, but Benjen silenced him.</p><p>Jon considered arguing, but he knew that it would make no difference. Benjen then noticed the Black daggers. “Dragonglass,” he murmured.</p><p>“What?” Asked Jon.</p><p>“Dragonglass,” said Benjen. “Obsidian, as the Maester’s call it. Wrap it back up in the cloak, and pack it on your garron. Pass me one of the daggers first though.” Jon did as he was asked, and whilst he was curious, he didn’t ask why.</p><p>When he was finished, his uncle told him to rest, and Jon went over to his spot of hard earth he had been previously sleeping on, and laid down, and felt he was asleep before he even hit the ground, though again just as earlier, no dreams came.</p><p>When Jon awoke, it was morning. They ate hard salt beef to break their fasts, before it was time to return to Castle Black.</p><p>He strapped Dark Sister to his belt, slightly below his longsword, and realized he would need to get a scabbard for it soon, before they set off back towards the Wall, whilst Ghost followed behind. Their company of six travelled back to the Wall, almost in complete silence, save for the whining of the horses occasionally. Jon wondered whether the others had heard or learned of what had happened last night. He noted there were some queer glances at Dark Sister which now was hanging from his sword belt, but none saw fit to ask Jon about it.</p><p>Once they arrived back at Castle Black, Benjen departed once more, in order to find the Lord Commander. </p><p>Jon meanwhile went to the Amory, and once there, he took off his sword belt. He had two swords now, Dark Sister and his sword from Winterfell. He began to scour around for an empty scabbard that would fit Dark Sister, deciding he’d rather not have a new scabbard made for it. He finally found one, though the leather was old and worn, and it was hardly remarkable at all.</p><p>As he began to put his belt back on he decided not to have his old sword, and he put it on the wall for someone else to use since he wouldn’t have need for it.</p><p>After he was done, Jon began to go about his day.</p><p>They arrived after their morning training session had finished, and so after lunch Jon ended up going about a usual day of work. Today he had to help Bowen Marsh with counting and inventory.</p><p>It was tedious work, and Jon hated every minute of it, though it hardly concerned him. Instead, most his thoughts were of Jeyne, and how Lord Eddard had lied to them.</p><p>Yet how could she not be his sister? They had been nearly completely indistinguishable in their youths, able to fool even father and Robb when they passed for one another. He wondered how he could’ve possibly found himself in Silver if they hadn’t been.</p><p>But it was the truth, Jon realized. Father would’ve feared the wroth of King Robert should he have learned the truth, and Uncle Benjen wouldn’t lie before a Weirwood Tree. He wondered if he should even keep the sword at his hip, when it should by rights belong to Aegon or Daemon, and endanger his secret.</p><p>He thought about how Jeyne might react as well if she should learn the truth of it, and how she would change.</p><p>After he was done helping Marsh, it was time for dinner. He ate some of Three-Fingered Hobb’s stew, and drank it down with some ale, alone at his own table before he went back to his quarters.</p><p>He knew he ought to write something to her, yet he couldn’t think of what to say. Jon could feel something calling to him, though he didn’t know what it was. He should be with her though, he thought, or Robb at Winterfell, or in King’s Landing, with Lord Eddard, the girls and Bran, or somewhere, anywhere, but here at Wall.</p><p>Jon found some quill, ink and paper though, and began to write. What could he say though? He could hardly tell her they weren’t truly twins by raven, should it be intercepted.</p><p>In the end he burned three letters before he had one that he was even remotely pleased with, and he decided to send it. He didn’t have any wax to seal it though, so he would have to do it at Maester Aemon’s. </p><p>It was snowing when Jon finally left his chambers to go to the rookery, and to his surprise, Aemon was still awake when he got there, as was Chett.</p><p>“Maester Aemon, could I send a letter?” Jon asked.</p><p>“Of course. Where would you be sending it to?” The blind man replied.</p><p>“Raventree… Or Winterfell if you don’t have any for Raventree.” Jon added quickly, knowing for sure they had ravens for Raventree there.</p><p>“Chett, would you be so kind as to lead him to the Rookery to send it?” The Maester told the raventender, and so he did. They walked together to the top of the rookery where the ravens were kept in their cages.</p><p>‘Corn,’ one of the ravens called when they entered, before another answered, ‘snow.’</p><p>Jon looked around for a cage labeled for Raventree and to his surprise he quickly found one. After he pointed it out to Chett, he opened the cage and caught the bird as it began to fly out, and bid Jon tie the letter around the raven’s leg, which he did. After it was secured on, he let the raven go, and it began to fly south.</p><p>‘Snow, snow, snow,’ Jon heard one of the birds call to him as they exited, before they began to walk back down to Maester Aemon’s chambers. He thought to just go through so that he could go back to his chambers, yet the old man had other plans for him.</p><p>“Lord Snow. I had hoped we may speak.” He called out to Jon, before he dismissed Chett, so Jon stopped, and instead took a seat across from the Maester.</p><p>Once Chett had left, the old man began to talk again. “Your uncle spoke to me of what you found beyond the Wall. I suppose I may be the only living man to have ever seen the sword before you, though I no longer have the eyes with which to view it myself, yet what your uncle described was just as I remember.”</p><p>Behind his dead white eyes, Jon could see some youth had returned to them that he had never seen. Jon began to realize though just how old this man across from him was. He must have been the Maester here since Lord Bloodraven was Lord Commander.</p><p>“I sense something troubles you though,” he finally finished.</p><p>Jon wasn’t sure if he could trust the Maester, yet he spoke anyways. “It’s my sister… I think she has need of me. Something is wrong.”</p><p>The old man’s expression remained unchanged at that. “I had a sister once. Two even, though they are long dead. Our Lord Commander has a sister, as did your uncle. And brothers as well, though they also are long dead. Do you think you are the first?” When Jon didn’t answer Aemon continued. “Do you know why our vows forbid us from wedding or fathering children?”</p><p>“No,” Jon admitted.</p><p>“Because we have our duty. What is duty compared to the feeling of a woman’s love, or to hold a son in your arms? Few would choose duty over that. Yet even so, most of us had mothers who birthed us, fathers who raised us, brothers and sisters we grew with.” Maester Aemon explained. “Love is the death of duty. That is why.” Aemon concluded. He seemed to sense Jon’s hesitancy. “Tell me Jon, if your father had to choose between honor on the one hand, and those that he loved on the other, what would he do?”</p><p>“What was right.” Jon blurted out quickly. But that was a lie, wasn’t it. Ned Stark had lied to protect him. Ned Stark wasn’t even his father. What would Prince Rhaegar have done? He had a wife, and chose to ran off with Lyanna, when she was betrothed to Robert. </p><p>“Then Lord Eddard is a man in ten thousand.” Answered Aemon. “Most of us are not so strong. The Gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy. A day comes when every man of the watch must choose. You are lucky in that your choice has come before you have taken your vows. Yet it will hurt no less to make the choice.”</p><p>“You don’t know what it feels like.” Jon lashed out.</p><p>“Don’t I.” asked Aemon. “Did you listen to nothing I have told you, you are not the first, and you will not be the last. The Gods saw fit to test me thrice. Once as a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. The last hurt no less than the first, although my strength was fled and my eyes grown dim. My ravens brought news from the south. The ruin of my House, the death of my kin, nought but disgrace and desolation. There was nought that I could have done, but that did nothing to assuage my pain at the death of my brother’s grandson, and his son, and the end of my House.</p><p>“Who are you?” asked Jon, almost in dread.</p><p>“My Father Was Maekar, Prince of Summerhall and later the first of his name, my grandfather named me for the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which tales you believe.” Aemon answered.</p><p>“Aemon… Of house Targaryen?” Jon said, in awe.</p><p>“Your uncle told me, Jon,” said Aemon. “It is good to know that I have met one of my kin once more before I die. Now, you must choose your path.”</p><p>“I will go south.” said Jon, his resolve strengthened.</p><p>“Then give these letters to Rhaenys, Aegon, Daemon and Daenerys.” said Aemon. Their fathers wrote to me once, and a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing, I have advice for all of them, should they care to read it.”</p><p>“I will.” answered Jon.</p><p>He left Aemon, and slowly descended from the Rookery, to find Benjen and Samwell, and all the other recruits, said his goodbyes, then he saddled the horse that he had brought from Winterfell, and left Castle Black behind him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Yeesh this chapter too a while to get done. Well, it's finally out now, so yay!</p><p>This is by far the longest chapter that I've written for this fic.</p><p>Sorry again for the month long wait between chapters. I will say though that I have 2 of the next 3 chapters with 1k words already done, so I'm hoping to get three out by the end of next week.</p><p>As always, thank you guys for reading, and thank you for all the comments and kudos.</p><p>And... I still don't own ASOIAF. Dang.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Robb III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <span>Robb</span>
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  <span>Robb sat as he watched the boys play around in the yard. Rickon was just learning to fight with tiny wooden swords, while the Walders were jousting.</span>
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  <span>Rickon’s swings were powerful but wild, against some young lad that was being trained as well, who had faster and more calculated swings.</span>
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  <span>Meanwhile, with the Walders, despite the one they called big being the better riding, he was still often losing to his much larger foe.</span>
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  <span>The new Freys had perplexed Robb. Olyvar was a bit shy, and Robb had hardly been able to form a judgement on him, while Little Walder had seemed a bit of a bully and Robb had hardly taken a liking to Big Walder either, who often seemed as fox-like as he looked.</span>
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  <span>He had taken a liking to Tywin though, who was a good squire.</span>
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  <span>How Rickon had come to like the boys was beyond Robb, yet two days past he had returned from a brief visit to Castle Cerwyn, and he had returned to find Rickon so distraught about his absence that he was near hysterical.</span>
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  <span>All day the yard seemed to ring with the sound of steel clashing, much more than Robb could ever remember in his youth, save for mayhaps when his father had called on some men to aid against the Greyjoys.</span>
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  <span>In recent weeks they had doubled the guard, both to replace those his father had taken south, and to make the castle more secure in light of recent events. Combined with the near 20 men at arms who were left with Myrcella, and the other 20 who had come with the Freys, and Winterfell would soon nearly boast a garrison of 350. When Robb had told Myrcella about how many men made up their garrison she had japed he would next be putting in place a city watch for the Winter Town. </span>
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  <span>And that number would only grow, as from what Robb had heard, the Dornish party coming North was now at White Harbor and would soon be at Winterfell, as well, which had meant much of Robb’s time had to be spent seeing to the castle’s preparations for their new guests. The Winds had been favorable for them coming North, which made Robb wonder about his own mother, and where she was now. Surely his father would be arriving in King’s Landing soon as well he thought.</span>
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  <span>Things were easier than they had been when they first left, yet Robb still often found himself lost and wished he had his mother and father, for all that was left to him now was his wife he still scarcely knew, Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin it seemed. Theon had become more distant and cold, of late, while Rhaenys and her brothers spent most their days worrying and preparing for their mother’s arrival.</span>
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  <span>Robb found himself mourning his days as a child when none of this mattered. He wondered how his father had been able to handle things when he had become Lord of Winterfell as well, doing so in the midst of war, with the loss of his father and brother.</span>
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  <span>Beyond the boys playing their games in the yard, Robb could see Aegon and Daemon were fighting as well. They had always been a bit better than Robb, at least in part he knew due to their seniority to him.</span>
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  <span>Daemon still was prone to rash and impulsive attacks, to Aegon’s more careful and calculated swings. He remembered once when they were boys after they learned who Daemon and Aegon’s father was Daemon had taken to proclaiming himself king for a fortnight, much to Robb’s father’s horror. Aegon though had always accepted that he was not a prince, and never lusted for his grandfather’s crown as Daemon did.</span>
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  <span>Robb had noted Daemon oft as not was avoiding him after he married Myrcella, and he had advised her to stay away from him as well.</span>
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  <span>He watched as the two silvery figures danced, until he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.</span>
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  <span>“Come my lord, my uncle is almost here.” He heard Myrcella was saying to him. Robb had not known that the Imp would be coming to Winterfell, especially this soon, but he figured he would be coming eventually.</span>
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  <span>So Robb rose and together they walked to the Great Hall.</span>
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  <span>Robb could also sense Ser Arys Oakheart trailing behind them as they went, to make sure none should attack, while Greywind padded alongside them.</span>
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  <span>Myrcella wore a blue dress she had taken from his mother, who was not there to object to it. She was almost as tall as his mother at only three and ten he noted, and still growing besides. Soon he figured Myrcella would be taller than her.</span>
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  <span>Robb had also not failed to notice that the swell of Myrcella’s belly was beginning to show even when she wore clothes now as well, and Maester Luwin said the babe would be coming in half a year now.</span>
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  <span>Myrcella had also been having troubles with resting, which Robb did not doubt were from her having dreams, yet when he had asked her about it, she had said nothing on the matter. Of course, Robb himself had been troubled by his own dreams as well, when he found himself a wolf, so he wondered if he truly deserved to be privy to the contents of what happened when Myrcella was sleeping when he himself was not sharing with her.</span>
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  <span>He thought back to what his mother had told him. She had not known his father when they married, or even when she had birthed him, and love and trust took time to build. He wondered if he and Myrcella would ever truly one day reach that point though. She was pretty, to be sure, and they got along well enough, but Robb still felt some underlying distance between them was present.</span>
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  <span>In truth, when Robb had seen Queen Cersei step out from the royal wheelhouse the day the king had arrived, he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, while Myrcella was just a girl of three and ten, not a woman grown ready to wed.</span>
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  <span>And that was the problem, Robb thought. He remembered the tale of King Jaehaerys the First, and his good Queen Alysanne, and how they two had been wed before they had turned six and ten, yet Jaehaerys waited until his queen had come of age to bed her. He wondered if perhaps they ought to have done the same, yet now it was too late to change that.</span>
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  <span>“How has your morning been?” Myrcella asked him as they walked.</span>
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  <span>Uneventful so far, though that is like to change, Robb thought to himself. “Fine, yours?” He said instead.</span>
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  <span>“Old Nan was going on about the Blackfyre Rebellions.” She replied.</span>
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  <span>Robb snorted at that. “Be thankful that’s all she talked about.” He said thinking back to when Old Nan would tell him and the rest stories as children. On more than a few occasions he had to rescue Arya and Bran from her.</span>
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  <span>“Oh, be nice.” Myrcella scolded him.</span>
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  <span>“As you say my lady.” Robb said. “Though I would know who told you stories as a child then, that you should find Old Nan to be good.”</span>
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  <span>“Why?” Myrcella asked him.</span>
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  <span>“So I can keep them far away from our children.” Robb replied, to which Myrcella laughed.</span>
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  <span>“Have no fear on that count, for they are far, far away.” Myrcella told him, before they had arrived at the Hall.</span>
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  <span>Robb and Myrcella took the lord and the lady’s seat in the Great Hall, as they always did since father and mother had left. A servant had fetched some bread and salt, while a dozen men at arms were stationed throughout the room, and around them stood Theon, Maester Luwin and Hal Mollen. Three of Myrcella’s companions, Rosamund, Joanna and Rhea were also there, while Ty attended Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Rhea did not look far from a traditional Stark, Robb had noted with her grey eyes, though she didn’t have a particularly long face and her hair was black. Meanwhile, Joanna had brown hair, blue eyes and fine features to boast of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, the doors opened, and a dwarf flanked by two guards beside him waddled through, followed by four men of the Night’s Watch, all dressed in black. They came to a halt around the center of the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to Winterfell.” Robb greeted them, as the servant began to give offers to each one. Each man took from the board in turn. As reluctant as Robb was to offer hospitality to the dwarf, he did so anyways since he was his uncle by marriage, and if he was seen as too outwardly hostile towards the Lannisters that may raise suspicions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me princess, has your lord husband been treating you well? I am sure your mother would like to know.” Tyrion asked Myrcella, to which she giggled next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would have her know that I am well then.” She replied, before she rose and gave her tiny uncle a hug. She was at least two feet taller than him, and could lift him as though he were a child despite him being near twice her age.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the Night’s Watchmen began to shuffle out of the Hall, now that they had been welcomed, led by servants who would take them to chambers that were being prepared in the guest houses, while Myrcella went off with her uncle, which left Robb alone in his father’s seat, so he too soon quickly took his leave, with Greywind trailing alongside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He returned to the yard, and armed himself, with Ty’s help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First he challenged Daemon who beat him rather quickly, before Robb fought with some other men at arms, and won five bouts compared to only one that he lost. When he was done though, Robb was terribly bruised afterwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he was done, Robb and Maester Luwin sat down and attended to some matters for the castle, though he forgot almost as soon as he was done what they had spoken of. When they were finished it was already time for dinner, and today the brothers of the Night’s Watch and Myrcella’s uncle would be feasting with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb again was forced to seat himself in his father’s chair and play the lord again. To his left sat Rickon, Aegon, Theon, Rhaenys, Hal Mollen, Ser Oswell and Benfred Tallhart while to his right were Myrcella, were most her companions  Leona, Rhea, Samantha, Daenerys, and Cassandra, while the rest sat opposite them Eleyna, Perianne, Rosamund, Joanna, Elaenor, and Cynthea, with Ser Arys sat closest to the middle. Robb had noted that Daenerys had been spending more time of late among Myrcella’s ladies, though normally when eating she ate with the other Targaryens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beyond Myrcella’s court as people had taken to naming it, the Imp, the four brothers of the Night’s Watch, Ser Arthur Dayne, Daemon and Ser Barristan Selmy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They supped on peppered venison </span>
</p><p>
  <span>with vegetables and some Arbor Red, while Myrcella took some grapes that had been laid out for them, and tried to get him to eat some as well, though he declined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb did notice some of the looks the imp was giving Myrcella as well, and no doubt he knew she was with child, having either been told by her, or having heard from someone else since by now the whole castle knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of dinner passed without Robb being too involved in conversation until the dwarf addressed him. "My lord, you brother wishes you well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jon?" Robb asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Unless you should happen to have another bastard brother at the Wall, yes, I do believe that is the one." He said, grinning at his own wit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jape might have passed without notice were it not for Rickon, who then began to pout about how he wanted to see Jon again, which meant Robb had to take his leave to go put Rickon to bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet when he returned, Robb already knew there was trouble before he had even set foot in the hall, as the shouting could be heard from outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Careful now, Imp." Daemon was saying as Robb got back to the table. He saw Ser Arys already had his hand on the hilt of his sword underneath the table, while Myrcella was looking on in horror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is the meaning of this?" Robb asked them, putting on the most lordly voice he could muster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your princling took a misliking to a jape I made." The little man explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't ask you." Robb replied, which luckily caused Tyrion to shut his mouth, though Daemon glared at him, before storming off. He also had not failed to note that one of Myrcella's ladies, Rhea Royce, had initially moved to follow him, though quickly thought better of it, which had seemed in line to some of the rumors he had heard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Arys though had only further tensed, no doubt because he thought Daemon would return with a sword in hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only Aegon who seemed to still be calm, and began to go after Daemon as he left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It would seem the Maesters lied to us when they said we would never see the Rogue Prince's like again." Tyrion said once Aegon was outside as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aye, and you would do well be taller if you are to provoke him." Myrcella said to Robb's shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tyrion gasped at that. "You wound me, dearest Myrcella, for I'm sure you know there is not a bigger man than I."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella rolled her eyes. "That's what you always say uncle, yet when I stand I find I look down on you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb chose to mask his disdain for the dwarf by hiding it beneath disinterest, and let Myrcella and her uncle continue their verbal sparring. This was not a man to be trusted, he thought grimly, yet at the same time though, he had only angered Daemon further by demanding he explain himself. He wondered how father had been able to manage him and Jon when they were young, for all the trouble they made.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He noted that the Freys were taking their leave to go to bed, as well, and Rhaenys had left to go take her children to rest as well. Things were calming down, when Maester Luwin came to Robb with a letter, and told him it was urgent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb opened the letter and read through it quickly. It spoke of troubles on the isle of Skagos, though he didn't want to face it now, so he gave the letter back to the Maester. "Come back to me with this one the morrow, and we can speak of it then." He told him before Maester Luwin left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of dinner passed with minimal incident, until everyone began to retire for the night, including Robb and Myrcella, who walked back to their chambers. Myrcella was still giggling and was leaning on Robb's support most of the way back, until they finally arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got to their chambers, Robb quickly closed the door, until he turned around to find Myrcella who quickly began to fumble at the laces of Robb's garb, and he began to do the same in return. It was not long before they were both naked and sprawled upon the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb carefully slid his erect manhood into her moist cunt, and she spasmed as he did so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrella tightly wrapped her legs around his and began to claw at her back with what felt were fierce talons. “Oh… Robb…” She called out to him, moaning in pleasure before his lips met hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their hips moved together, joined in a synchronous union, as Robb thrust himself deeper and deeper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb felt wonderful sensations of his own, as his release approached. When it came, he spent himself inside Myrcella before he rolled off of her, and settled on the bed next to her, face up, his cock still wet, as he began to catch his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The golden haired princess was already asleep beside him, when he turned to look at her. He planted a kiss on her cheek before he close his eyes, and went to sleep as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, Robb found himself in the yard of Winterfell. It was daytime and the castle was empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He called out to see if anyone else was there with him, yet got no response. So instead he began to wander. It looked exactly like he knew, just vacant. At some point, he decided to head towards the Godswood, following the old familiar path towards the Heart Tree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he approached he caught a glimpse of a familiar looking man and woman for only a moment before they were gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, he heard a woman scream. Worse was he knew who was screaming. Robb broke into a run, and he quickly located that the screams were coming from the Broken Tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He ran passed the amory, the guards hall and the First Keep before he was at the foot of the tower. Already out of breath, it didn’t matter for Robb, and he began to run up the tower. He had only been to the top once, but he still just followed the stairs up until he reached the top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he threw open the door the scream cut off inside, until she saw him. ‘Robb?’ She called out, before she wrapped her arms around him, and somehow he knew Myrcella was dreaming this as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb could hear something loud and terrible coming from where he had come at the foot of the tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to go now.” Robb told her, to which she responded by nodding her head into his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to the door he had come from, yet he realized it had no handle and had closed behind him. They needed to get down soon though, and that was their best way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their only way out was through the window. Robb pounded on the door a few times to see if it would open yet it didn’t budge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘You need to leave.’ He could hear a raven saying, before he moved his head in the direction of the window. ‘And that is the only way. You will fly or you will die, now choose.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella gave out a small sob at that, though Robb began to lead her to the window. They didn’t have a choice he knew. When they were at the window sill, Robb embraced her and looked into her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at me Myrcella. Just look at me and hold on. We’ll be fine.” He said before he stepped out, taking Myrcella with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell together until they hit the ground, though Robb only felt a small amount of pain when they landed, and Myrcella didn’t call out either. The fall ought to have killed them he thought, certainly they would have broken some bones if they had, yet both he and Myrcella were moving just fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he looked up at the Broken Tower from which they had jumped from though, the crow was gone, and in its place there were two gargoyles looking down on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb shook Myrcella’s shoulders. “We need to move.” He told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head in response. “It’s just a dream, if we wake…” She began to say fearfully. “What… What if we’re stuck here, and we never wake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we just need to go and see if we do.” Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb began to lead them away from the tower, until they were in front of the entrance to the Crypts. He still had yet to show them to her he realized, and now was as good a time as any. Mayhaps if they went to the crypts it would become like any other dream he had when he was young, so he led her through the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a single lit torch inside, which Robb quickly grabbed, before they began to descend the steps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are we?” Myrcella asked him, her golden hair shining in the torch light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The crypts, where the Kings of Winter and Lords of Winterfell are buried.” Robb informed her. If it had been a normal time, he might have pointed out who each of them were, but for the nonce it wouldn’t work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point though, Robb came to a halt when they had gotten past Torrhen Stark’s tomb. He could feel the old Lords of Stark looking on him, judging him, which made him shiver. He wondered if they disapproved of him for being half-southron and married to a southerner as well, or they thought him unworthy of being a Lord of Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In any case, Robb decided to retreat back to the newer statues, eventually stopping before the tombs of his grandfather, uncle and aunt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are they?” Myrcella inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My grandfather, Lord Rickard, my uncle Brandon, and aunt Lyanna.” He told her, yet Robb noticed tears of blood were seemingly flowing from the statue of his aunt. The swords kept their souls locked in the tombs, Robb knew, yet Lyanna didn’t have one, he realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise me.” He heard a female voice whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They might have stayed down longer, but the torch was beginning to dim, and if it went out they were like to be stuck, trapped forever in darkness, so instead he led them back to the surface.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, when they emerged, they were no longer in Winterfell, but a castle Robb had never seen before, though he knew immediately where they were. It’s 5 towers each rising higher to the sky that were melted gave it away quickly enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not far out, Robb saw there was a small gargoyle, that cast such a large shadow being pulled down by two dragons, one green, one black, and when it had fully toppled, Myrcella let out a gasp. Beyond that, he saw to the south two dragons falling, clawing and biting at each other, when shortly before they would hit the ground, one of their riders dismounted and stabbed the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb and Myrcella ran through the castle, trying to find something, any way out, until they came upon the bath house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the baths were empty, save one, which was filled with blood. Before they could think to leave though, a great cauldron of bats swooped down, and pushed them into the tub filled with blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to swim to stay at the surface, yet the blood was too thick, and instead he sank. He had been breathing in as well as he hit the water so now blood filled his lungs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he sank, Robb noticed he still had hold of Myrcella’s hand, and so they sank further and further into the pool of blood, until everything was black, and he awoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella was awake next to him in their bed again. Both of them were drenched in sweat, and panting. Yet, more queerly, her lips were blue.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Robb noted Greywind was there at the foot of the bed and he did not doubt they were no longer trapped in a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your lips, Robb… They’re…” Myrcella began to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re blue?” Robb finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine are too? Were you really there? Was that real?” She asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” he told her. “It doesn’t matter though, it was a dream, nothing more. It's over, we’re safe now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should’ve told you… I’ve been having my own strange dreams.” She started to say, before Robb stopped her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, we can talk about it later.” He said, getting closer to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled the princess into him, and held her there. “It will be fine.” He whispered to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb didn’t want to sleep after that, however at some point he did sense Myrcella had fallen asleep in his arms, and he kept her there until she awoke.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>	So first, this chapter from a time perspective is actually a good deal after the next chapter (Catelyn I), and takes place before the last chapter (Jon I). Why is it framed like this? Because, I said so.<br/>	I went back and edited Myrcella I to make a reference to Myrcella’s companions, since I goofed up when I forgot to make any reference to her having them. They will make more frequent appearances from here on out. You’ll also notice occasionally in general some character dynamics are added in that aren’t referenced in previous chapters mostly because I’m still largely writing this as I go, and so things change. If there’s an outright contradiction, I will go back and change it, however if it’s something that’s more added, I just will add it from that chapter forward, and eventually I will likely come back and rewrite some of my first few chapters to better incorporate them.<br/>	So you know, they are Rhea Royce, Perianne Mallister, Joanna Lydden, Samantha Rowan, Cassandra Swann, Leona Tyrell, Elaenor Mooton, Cynthea Frey, Eleyna Westerling and Rosamund Lannister. Perianne, Joanna, and Cassandra are all OCs, though, if you must know, Perianne is Jason Mallister’s daughter, Joanna is also of the main line of House Lydden and Cassandra is the daughter of Ser Donnel Swann. Rhea Royce is one of the unspecified daughters of Bronze Yohn, Samantha is one of the unspecified daughters of Mathis Rowan, Elaenor is the daughter of William Mooton (also in the original text, Dickon Tarly’s wife), Cynthea is the daughter of Ser Garemy Frey, Eleyna is Jeyne Westerling’s (yes, that Jeyne Westerling) younger sister, and Rosamund is Rosamund, a distant Lannister cousin who was already Myrcella’s hand maiden in the original text (she’s also been aged up I guess).<br/>	I also just love how I can manage to write 1.2k words and still not feel like I’m any closer to having the chapter finished. That takes effort I’m pretty sure.<br/>I’m utilizing food symbolism, so props to anyone who can correctly guess any of it.<br/>	Also, a warlock has infiltrated Winterfell….<br/>Thank you guys for reading, and as always, your follows, favs and reviews are much appreciated. And remember, your feedback helps drive my desire to write.<br/>	So I was gonna tell you guys a really long and dumb over complicated story, but TL:DR; I don’t own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Catelyn I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catelyn</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn had loathed to spending over two moons in a brothel. Even if she regarded Petyr to be like a brother to her, every time that he came to visit her, she wanted to scold him for keeping her here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and Ser Rodrik had been given separate rooms, and fortunately no one had stumbled into her’s and thought her a patron of the establishment, which had been her greatest fear in staying there. The problem was that she had no ability to go outside. Everyday came and went within the brothel, with little changing. She often asked after where Ned and the King were on their procession back to King’s Landing, from Petyr. The day that Catelyn arrived, they had just left the Neck, and today was the day that they would finally be arriving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petyr had assured her that once they were done with the Small Council meeting today, he would bring Ned to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It would be good to see him again, she thought to herself. He needed to know what had happened, after Lysa’s letter and now this, surely it had to be connected somehow. If Jon Arryn and the Targaryen children were not safe, then surely Ned and their own children were not safe either. She only prayed that she had not been too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts turned to that of her sons she had left behind at Winterfell. Rickon had thrown a great fit upon learning that she too would be leaving, and Robb had tried to put on a look of strength, though Catelyn could quite easily see through it. They needed her as well she knew, but first she had to tell Ned about what had happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mayhaps she would be able to see Sansa, Arya and Bran though, and speak with them before she returned to Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps no thought had struck her so much though as the question of why. Why had the Imp ordered the death of Theon and Rhaenys’s son?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been the only member of King Robert’s party that had not returned south, or even remained at Winterfell. He had gone to the Wall instead, with Ned’s brother and bastard. Perhaps he meant to join the Watch, to atone for his crimes, but Catelyn thought not somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he traveled south on foot, then surely he would see that the boy still lived, and if he did then perhaps he would order another man to make another attempt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn prayed it would not be so, that perhaps Petyr and Lord Varys had the right of it when they said the blade may have simply been stolen from the Imp, and he had naught to do with the man. But if it had, then that only made her wonder as to who truly did hire the catspaw. They could be in Winterfell even now, she thought with dread, plotting another attempt on Goren’s life, or one of Catelyn’s sons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was dusk when she heard two horses outside and two voices that sounded very familiar to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon, the door opened, and Ned walked though. When she saw him, she ran to him, and embraced him fiercely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lady,” Ned whispered in wonderment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, very good,” said Littlefinger, closing the door. “You recognized your wife. For a moment I had thought you would not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feared you would never come, my lord,” she whispered against his chest. “I waited here for what felt like forever. Tell me, how is Bran, and how are the girls?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are doing well. Sansa is quite taken by the crown prince, and Bran and Arya both have been practicing swords with each other.” Ned told her. “But, Cat, I do not understand. What are you doing here in King’s Landing? What’s happened?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure what to make of Bran and Arya practicing swords with each other, though if it kept the pair out of trouble, Catelyn decided it was the least of her worries. And she had known Sansa was smitten with the crown prince even at Winterfell, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They let go from each other’s embrace. “At Winterfell, there was an attack,” Catelyn answered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her husband’s face began to shift.  “What? Why are you here, my love? And what is this place?” He asked in bewilderment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just what it appears to be my lord,” Littlefinger said, easing himself onto the seat beneath the window. “A brothel. Can you think of a less likely place to find a Catelyn Tully?” He smiled at his own wit. Catelyn couldn’t think of a less likely place to find herself truly, though she wondered what men would say of her if they found out she had stayed here. “As it happens, I own this particular establishment, so arrangements were easily made. I am most anxious to keep the Lannisters from learning that Cat is here in King’s Landing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Ned asked. “What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn slid the dagger out from under her cloak and placed it in his hand. “A man was sent, wielding this blade, to open the throats of Theon and Rhaenys’s son, and spill his life’s blood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned gave her a look of confusion. “But... Who… Why would...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put a finger to his lips. “Let me tell it all, my love. It will go faster that way. Listen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat down together on the bed that Catelyn had been sleeping on as of late, next to each other, and Ned put her arm protectively around her shoulder as she spoke to him. She spoke and he listened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the eight days after you left, Goren didn’t improve. Day and night Rhaenys spent at their bedside until on the eight night Daenerys finally convinced her to sleep in her own bed and stayed with him instead. But later, a man wielding this blade entered the room and tried to kill him, after he had set afire the library tower, which drew away Robb who had been speaking to her, and the guards. Daenerys held the man off long enough for Ser Barristan to come and he slayed the man, but she had terrible cuts to her hands and hit her head hard against the wall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned looked horrified at that, and Catelyn knew if she paused, he would begin to say something, even though she told him not to, so she continued. “Afterwards, Daenerys slept for four days, and Maester Edwyle is nursing her back to health. By the time I left, Goren had improved, and was no longer ill. Robb questioned Ser Arys and the princess and neither one of them could say where they knew the dagger, but they both felt they had seen it at least once. Ser Oswell thinks that he was poisoned, and the man was hired, both by the Lannisters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then told him of her journey that had followed, about how Varys and Petyr had found her, and how they told her that the dagger belonged to the Imp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the end, Ned looked dazed and confused. He talked with Littlefinger for a bit about how they could handle such a situation, and what they should do about it, yet in the end, Petyr had urged that they forget this ever happened. Keep closer guard for the Targaryens, and remain vigilant, but not act upon it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned finally ended their conversation by addressing her.  “My lady,” he said, turning to Catelyn, “there is nothing more you can do here. I want you to return to Winterfell at once. If there was one assassin, there could be others. Whoever ordered their deaths will learn soon enough that they still live.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had hoped to see the girls, and Bran . . . ” Catelyn said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be most unwise,” Littlefinger put in. “The Red Keep is full of curious eyes, and children talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He speaks truly, my love,” Ned told Catelyn as he pulled her closer to him. “Take Ser Rodrik and ride for Winterfell. I will watch over our children here. Go home to Robb and Rickon and keep them safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you say, my lord.” Catelyn lifted her face, and Ned kissed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would the lord and lady like the use of a bedchamber?” asked Littlefinger. “I should warn you, Stark, we usually charge for that sort of thing around here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A moment alone, that’s all I ask,” Catelyn said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well.” Littlefinger strolled to the door. “Don’t be too long. It is past time the Hand and I returned to the castle, before our absence is noted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn went to him and took his hands in her own. “I will not forget the help you gave me, Petyr. When your men came for me, I did not know whether they were taking me to a friend or an enemy. I have found you more than a friend. I have found a brother I’d thought lost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Petyr smiled at that. “I am a desperately sentimental man, sweet lady. Best not tell anyone though. I have spent years convincing the court that I am wicked and cruel, and I should hate to see all that hard work go for naught.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have my thanks as well, Lord Baelish.” Ned said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, now there’s a treasure,” Littlefinger said, exiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the door had closed behind him Ned looked back to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to tell her some instructions for when she made it back to Winterfell, and of what he hoped to do in King’s Landing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should stay Ned…” She said though before he had finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat… Robb and Rickon have need of you at Winterfell. Court will take poorly to your sudden arrival.” Her lord husband began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Robb has Maester Luwin at his side to help him, just as he did you. He is not so much the boy that he used to be, and could use some of the lord’s responsibilities. I have no doubt that he will be fine. The people of court will shortly forget about the unexpected arrival of the King’s Hand’s wife. Gossip comes and goes, and soon they will forget that I did not come south with the King’s Party.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but Rickon is a boy of three and has need of his mother.” He protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn thought about it. Ned had the right of it, Rickon did need her, yet even so. “Our daughters and Bran need their mother too,” she reasoned. “It will not be long before Rickon is old enough to come south to court.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still-” he started to say before Catelyn silenced him by placing her finger to his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you are going to be trying to find the truth that Jon Arryn died for, it would be best you had me at your side,” she said to him. Catelyn wasn’t sure what drove her, but she felt she needed to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would…” He said before his voice trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lysa sent her letter to me, not you,” she reminded him. She wondered if there was something only she could find, that Lysa had wanted for her to be in the south. There must have been surely for her to write such a letter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well my lady,” he finally conceded. “But if you are staying, then we had best get back to the castle, lest they find us here of all places.” Ned told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn quickly grabbed what little she had brought with her, before they exited the room she had been kept in for what had seemed forever, together with Ned beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walked through the brothel, Catelyn could feel tension within Ned, as he hardly would’ve liked to see her compared to a common whore. At least two tried to solicit them as they went back to the common room where they found Petyr and Ser Rodrik waiting for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hoped you did not lose your way coming here.” Petyr said mockingly though Ned ignored him, and went over to Ser Rodrik, and the two men began to whisper to each other, no doubt Ned giving him instructions on what to do once he had returned to Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finished, the knight took his leave of the brothel, which only left Catelyn with Ned and Petyr.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat, surely you would be taking your leave now as well,” Petyr said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn thought to tell him otherwise, though Ned spoke first. “We agreed that she will remain here in King’s Landing for the nonce. Surely you would understand, my lord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Petyr was shocked by the news, he gave no sign of it. “Well, we had best get you back to the castle then, else people will begin to wonder what I had done to the Lord Hand and his Lady Wife, and I suppose you do not wish to spend another night at this fine establishment. Come then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so they did. Together, Ned and Catelyn left Petyr’s brothel and set forth back towards the Red Keep atop King Aegon’s High Hill, where her children would await her, no doubt shocked by her presence.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Next chapter is back in Winterfell.</p><p>Thanks for all the comments, bookmarks, and kudos and a thank you in advance for all new ones.</p><p>And I still don't own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Rhaenys III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rhaenys</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys stood waiting near the Eastern Gate of Winterfell, as her mother approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some light snows were coming down on them as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goren was resting peacefully in her arms, while Casella stood beside her. It had taken all her efforts to get Casella to be well-dressed today for mother’s arrival, and even more than that to keep her from running off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She found herself thinking back to when King Robert had come to Winterfell. When he had arrived, the entire castle had been waiting for him and his party, yet now for the Princess Elia Martell, the widow of the Prince of Dragonstone, only a handful of servants, her children and her grandchildren would be there to greet her, as well as Robb and Theon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Aegon and Daemon carried their swords on their persons as well, she noted. The last time mother had seen them, they must have been only two and ten she realized, before they had begun to carry around live steel. She wondered if she ought to scold them for such folly as to think their mother would be any less proud of them if they did not have their swords on them when they met her again, yet she also knew this was a subject of pride for them, and they no doubt would become defensive about it, and she would only harden their resolve on the matter. Boys will be boys, she thought ruefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as the gates began to open, Rhaenys felt Casella’s grip on her hand loosen and she began to run off, though thankfully Aegon was close by and quickly snatched her up before she could get far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few dozen riders rode through with a litter, and mostly the Sun and Spear of House Martell flew on their banners. She spotted a young woman who looked much like herself, that she guessed could only be her cousin Arianne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a comely man who boasted fine Valyrian Features that Rhaenys had never met before, though she could only guess was a member of House Dayne. And others as well, who Rhaenys did not know, and had not the slightest notion who they might be..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, her attention quickly turned to the litter where as the door opened, a woman stepped out. She seemed much too overdressed, even for the North. Her face was thin and her hair was starting to grey, Rhaenys noted, and she looked quite pale and thin. This trip North will be her last, surely, she thought grimly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aegon was the first to get a hug, then Daemon before mother came over to Rhaenys. She could see some tears in the Princesses’ big brown eyes as she gave her a hug. As her mother embraced her, Rhaenys could see that she was even more frail and delicate than she first thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was taller than her mother now, she did not fail to note as they embraced. When they broke away, she could see her face was well lined, as her mother took hold of Goren from her cooing softly as she gently carried her grandson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see motherhood suits you better than it ever did me.” Princess Elia said wistfully looking over her. “Your father would be proud of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys nodded at that, unsure of what to say. As a girl, from the stories she’d been told of Prince Rhaegar she’d been confused and didn’t know what to think of him, and her uncertainty had only grown as she got older.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys could see Robb and the new steward, Guane Marsh, who had replaced Vayon Poole, were busy directing some of the serving men as they assisted the new guests of Winterfell and began to take their things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Rhaenys began to lead her mother to a private area where they could speak with one another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aegon began to follow carrying Casella as well, and Daemon came not too long after, first becoming a little acquainted with their mother’s company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked to a room in the Great Keep of Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Goren in Princess Elia’s arms, Rhaenys could see how little of her Dornish traits her son had inherited. Goren’s eyes were a blue that oft seemed purple and his hair was a firmer black that he had taken from Theon than Rhaenys’s own dark brown brown, and the olive tinge to his skin seemed little more than a tan when compared to her grandmother. Even Rhaenys herself was not quite as tan or Dornish looking as her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room they settled in was a small room, not meant to be used as a bedchamber, that oft as not Old Nan used while telling stories, with a fireplace where no fire burned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys could see her mother was still a little cold in spite of the heating system that flowed through Winterfell, and Daemon must have noticed as well because he began to work on building a fire, while Aegon handed Casella back to her after she had taken a seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother, who’s that?” Casella asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my mother, Princess Elia Martell, your grandmother.” Rhaenys explained to her daughter for roughly the half a hundredth time. Mayhaps she will pick it up now that she’s actually here, she thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother was playfully bouncing Goren in her arms when she spoke up. “Tell me children, how has life been at Winterfell since I last left you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’ve met Goren and Casella haven’t you?” Rhaenys told her retoracly. In truth, Rhaenys had little to say about the past four years that she considered worth talking about. When she thought about it, her life seemed to have passed her by without her noticing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother though smiled a little, no doubt happy she had made something of her life, which once might have seemed to hold no future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you troublemakers? You haven’t taken to mount Balerion and begun your conquest of Westeros have you?” Their mother asked Aegon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys could not think about the cat she used to have that she had named Balerion when she was younger. Oft at night when she was younger she would wonder what had happened to Balerion, and some of those nights she would in her dreams find herself prowling around the Red Keep, looking for rats as though she were a cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aegon gave their mother a crooked smile. "Lord Eddard did not raise a fool."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Princess Elia cocked her head slightly. “No one would call you fools, little conqueror. And you my rogue princling?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am well, mother,” he said, a little quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have not been mistreated?” Their mother pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he said a little more firmly. Rhaenys knew Daemon resented that he was not a prince more than she did, and especially Aegon, though when asked about it even when in private would still feign to not hold any grudge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your father would be proud of you, even if you do not think so.” She told them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long do you think you will stay here in Winterfell?” Aegon asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Princess Elia let out a small sigh. “I had thought I may stay for a moon’s turn or so, though after our travels, I’m not sure I will be able to leave. The gods did not make me fit for such journies like they did Oberyn and Doran when he was younger. I will do what I probably should’ve done, and stayed here at Winterfell to be with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys did not feel surprised that her mother would be staying at Winterfell, especially not in comparison to how surprised she was to see how open her mother was in admitting her own frailty, something she had never confided in with Rhaenys when they were alone last time she was at Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re staying?” Daemon asked, clearly more shocked than Rhaenys was. “What of Sunspear and Prince Doran?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your uncle will not care that I have chosen to stay,” she said twirling some of her grey hairs. “I am not able to be wed off and add little to his household, save my sad and lonely company. He will not begrudge me choosing to remain here, when he knows how much it pained me the past fourteen years to rarely see you. And I should rather spend my final years here than back at Sunspear if it means I should stay with my children.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the… King?” Daemon asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t care for what the king will say. Lord Eddard will not object to it, and the king will follow suit,” their mother replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daemon might have replied, but Goren began to cry in their mother’s arms. “I’ll take him mother, mayhaps you should like to speak with Aegon and Daemon more privately.” Rhaenys said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother nodded, as she handed over Goren while Casella hopped down from Rhaenys’s lap, and walked with her as they exited the room, holding Casella’s hand as they walked with her own right hand, while carrying Goren with her left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goren had stopped crying now that he was moving again. Outside the winds were blowing some cooling air that felt good to Rhaenys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw the Princess Myrcella was speaking with the silvery man while some of the others she did not know were rushing about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, Theon found them quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s your mother?” Theon asked her when he was close enough, while taking Casella who leapt into his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s speaking with Aegon and Daemon now, and I figured I should give her some space.” Rhaenys explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t she want to speak with you too?” Theon responded, while Goren was playfully rubbing his hand on the little fuzz his father had grown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t doubt it, but I’ll have a long while to talk with her, since she’s staying here.” She replied to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She…” Theon began, caught completely off guard. Rhaenys had known her husband had been a little anxious about Princess Elia’s presence in Winterfell, no matter how well he hid it, and now it was plain as day upon his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wipe that sullen look off your face Theon, else I might mistake you for Jon,” she said as he struggled to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The others take you too then,” Theon retorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re welcome to try,” Rhaenys replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mother may be pretty, but she makes for rather foul company,” Theon told Casella, who nodded in agreement, as they left her with Goren in the yard.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>Arianne and Quentyn are a little aged down in this fic being only 21 and 17 respectively. Their ages were never explicitly mentioned, or even really implied through the first three books, and GRRM originally planned on a 5 year gap between A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows, so they likely would have remained those ages regardless of the five year gap.<br/>You’ll notice Theon and Rhaenys’s kids are different now. Goren is now the infant, while their daughter, who had her name changed from Yara to Casella, is now the three year old. I made a few other tweaks and changes to the story, that you may notice if you go back and reread, as well as rewrote the Alyssa chapter to make it a little bit better.<br/>Sorry that this chapter has taken literally forever to get done. My Beta and I have been struggling to get times where we can get work on this together, and so it’s been a bit rough. That and school has made it harder to get a ton of work done, as well as the fact that this chapter was just not a fun one to write. And this is also just in part due to the fact that I have written a lot of stuff that is still a bit out there yet, so while I may have only gotten this chapter out now, I have gotten work done for other chapters in the future.<br/>Hopefully it doesn’t take so long to get the next chapter out, but I can’t make any promises.<br/>These next few chapters are just chapters I don’t have much pleasure in. I went back and updated some of the 283 AC chapters, so give those a read if you care to.<br/>As always, your comments, bookmarks, and kudos are what fuel my writing, so please keep them coming.<br/>No, I do not own ASOIAF, thanks for asking…</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Myrcella III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Myrcella</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb and Myrcella sat in the library together, across from each other, playing Cyvasse. Robb had never played the game before they had wed, yet he was quickly becoming the superior player of the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Septon Chayle was busy rearranging books on their shelves, while Maester Luwin was looking for new books, and Ser Arys was not too far off, standing guard himself, though giving them their space and privacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he had beaten her in a second consecutive game, one of their Dornish Guests, Princess Arianne Martell, the heir to Sunspear came over to their table. Myrcella remembered her from that time a few years past that her family had paid a visit there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb gave her a formal greeting, though Myrcella could tell the Dornishwoman naturally agitated him, while Myrcella just studied the newcomer, as she began to re-set up her board. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mayhaps you would like to play, Princess?” Robb offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you are both much better than me, my lord. I fear you’d both beat me quite easily. I came here to speak with you, Princess.” Arianne replied, addressing Myrcella before she continued. “Tell me Lady Stark, how has the North been treating you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella eyed the other princess suspiciously. They couldn’t have been any more different. Arianne had thick black hair, while she had golden hair, at three and ten, Myrcella was already taller than she was at one and twenty. Where Myrcella had fair skin, Arianne had olive skin. She had large brown eyes while Myrcella had green eyes, and she wore much richer clothing than her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys also came up in Myrcella’s mind. She had thought they would look much more similar than they did, yet Rhaenys’s hair was brown, she was taller, had lighter skin, larger breasts and less defined curves, in comparison to her cousin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been treating me well.” Myrcella replied finally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely you must miss your family, King’s Landing and the South though, don’t you?” Arianne asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella bit her lip. She missed Marla, Tommen, Lanna and Loren for sure, though Joffrey’s absence from her life had been welcome. In truth though, she had let them all go from her heart. What truly troubled her was how Joffrey was treating them now that she was not there to stop him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I seldom do now,” she said, placing her hand over the gentle swell of her belly. “This is my family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arianne’s hand went to Myrcella’s hair, and from her golden curls, she pulled out one of the flowers in her hair, the red rose. “Such a beautiful flower should not be left to freeze in the North. You would be most welcome in Dorne if you were to pay a visit there again. Your brother would be most pleased to see his sister, even if he is young.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I suppose you would like to have Robb join me?” She wondered aloud. Myrcella realized what Princess Arianne wanted, She wanted Myrcella to marry one of Arianne’s brothers, Quentyn or Trystane, she recalled they were named, at least, that’s what Prince Doran had wanted a few years back, though her father had rejected the notion. She had wondered why her father gave no thought to Marla or Lanna, but when she had asked him, he had told her that she and Marla were not available.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older Princess gave her a puzzled look. “Your husband is more than welcome to come with you,” she said with little confidence in her raspy voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps not, Myrcella realized, though she wondered truly how much Prince Doran had forgiven her father for soiling his daughter and heir.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not think that I will likely be able to pay Sunspear another visit soon, but if you wish to bring your son here,” she offered. Glendon, she remembered he’d been named, Glendon Baratheon, after Prince Doran had petitioned Robert to legitimize him. She’d held him once not long after he had been born, when Princess Arianne brought him before the court to make her petition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She remembered her other bastard siblings as well. She and Serra had been inseparable as children, but when she had asked her mother to allow her to take on Serra as a female companion, her mother had vehemently rejected the notion, and not long after, Lord Arryn had sent her away to Dragonstone to foster with their Uncle, Stannis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were others too. She’d met Betha, a girl close to her in age, like Serra, and Edric too, though they remained at Storm’s End. Lady Marianne’s children had both been sent away from court not long after their births, she recalled, and she had never met the bastard her father had with some Botley of Lordsport during the Greyjoy Rebellion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arianne gave consideration to the notion for a bit. “Someday I do not doubt he will wish to meet his sister. He looks so much like his father, and he’s quite the little storm. Certainly more than your other brothers,” she mused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You had him naturalized did you not?” She asked, pretending to not remember. Thankfully, Princess Arianne seemed to believe that she didn’t know the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father did,” She replied. “We don’t have quite so harsh views on bastards in Dorne, and it was our wish that Glendon may one day inherit Sunspear. I suppose by Dornish Law you would be your father’s heir, just as I am my father’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Joffrey is my father’s heir,” Myrcella answered, shuddering a little as she did. The thought of her brother atop the throne troubled Myrcella more than anything. She remembered that Sansa was betrothed to Joffrey as well, and couldn’t help but feel pity for the poor girl, who had seemed fully in love with him when they were still at Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Princess Arianne must have sensed her discomfort at the notion. “Nothing is ever certain in this world,” she said purring a little. “And who should deny you? You are just as much a Baratheon and Lannister as he is, wed to a Stark born to a Tully while he is betrothed to one, and you are with child when he has no trueborn issue of his own body?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could be queen, Myrcella thought. For a moment, she wanted nothing more, yet when she tried to picture herself atop the Iron Throne she saw the heads of father, mother, uncles Jaime and Tyrion, Marla, Tommen, Lanna, Loren, Lord Eddard, Lady Catelyn and Sansa all rested on spikes lining the walls, her uncles Stannis, Renly, and Uncle Stannis’s sons stop at the entrance to the throne room, knives and swords in hand, marching towards her, while at the throne’s foot, Robb’s broken body lay, with Greywind not too far off, feathered with arrows and crossbow bolts. She saw blood flowing from between her legs and the babe in her arms was twisted, and scaled, with wings for arms that flaked away at the touch, completely black and all dead, while the throne was cutting her, and the swords seemed to move, swallowing her completely, pressing harder and harder as they cut her body to ribbons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Myrcella said, shaking her head quickly. “Joff is father’s heir by all the laws of Gods and Men, and after him my brothers, Tommen and Loren, then Uncle Stannis and Uncle Renly. The gods did not make me to be queen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arianne gave her a look of disappointment, whilst Robb made his move, clearly trying to hide how shocked he was by the notions that the Princess was putting forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you truly believe your brother would be good for the realm? Has your father been?” Arianne asked her, before she turned and walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, she noted Greywind was moving from hiding beneath the bench Robb was seated on towards her, and hopped onto her lap, snuggling his head next to her growing belly, to which she pet him appreciatively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was contemplating moving a spearmen when Robb finally spoke up. “You do not think your brother should wed Sansa?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Robb…” Myrcella began. “You don’t know Joffrey. You may have had a bad time with him in the yard, but you didn’t live with him your whole life. When he was just 6, one of the rat catchers showed us a pregnant cat. He cut open the cat to see the kittens and showed them to father, thinking it would make him proud in some way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Myr.... He was just six….” Robb said in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s more than that. I’ve found bruises on my brothers that must have been from him, or that time when he was eight he beat your cousin Edric with a wooden sword bloody, well after he had yielded. You should have what he whispered to me the night our betrothal was announced,” She explained to him. Myrcella thought to say more, but some pains she felt were too deep to tell Robb about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you have me do?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay away from him, and pray our fathers outlive him,” Myrcella said. “I do not know if there is anything that can be done for Sansa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb sighed and rubbed his temples. “Your brother… He was an arse at Winterfell, but I had thought… How can I let Sansa wed him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella considered it for a moment. “Joffrey is overly possessive and hates when things are taken away from him. He no doubt sees Sansa as his now, and there’s no getting him to let go of her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt Greywind stirring a little in her lap, no doubt sensing her husband’s agitation and frustration. It was the truth she knew, though it was not one he wanted to hear. Sometimes, the truth is uglier than the lies we tell, yet there would be no hiding from this one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mind thought about Sansa. She was a pretty girl, every bit the noble lady, and should make a good queen for any king, yet Joff was like to mistreat her regardless. It was more a question as to whether he might extend his torments into public and onto Lord Eddard, and Arya and Bran.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you not wish to be queen?” Robb inquired, no doubt just to change the subject.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I’m a dutiful sister,” Myrcella offered in jest. “No in truth, the throne scares me.” As a child she had oft had nightmares about it. Once when she had been but a girl of four, father had held court with Myrcella on his lap atop the throne, though she cut herself on one of the swords and ended up running down crying and screaming before the session had finished, which had earned quite the scolding from her mother afterwards, but she had refused to even enter the throne room for a moon’s turn following that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since when are you scared of a chair?” He asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve never seen that chair, so you wouldn’t know Robb. I do not want the throne, not for me, not for you, certainly not for our children. You’ve seen what it did to my father.” She told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, Robb made a move, and Myrcella realized that he had won again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella decided to leave the library, and instead wandered the castle, though Greywind didn’t follow her. She wandered aimlessly until she had made it to the Great Keep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Rhea who she wanted to speak with, she realized, though she hadn’t been anywhere else, so Myrcella figured she would be in her chambers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All her ladies had been given chambers in the Great Keep now, which had made it harder to keep track of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She passed by her and Robb’s chambers as she made her way up, and eventually she found Rhea’s chambers, which she opened the door to with little thought, and immediately wished she hadn’t.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>Hey, it’s another chapter, isn’t this fun?<br/>Okay, so you’ll notice there’s some stuff here on there being more bastards here from Robert. There will be more on them next chapter and in the next few chapters, though I may end up ultimately putting out a full supplemental piece on Robert’s additional bastards in this AU, for fun.<br/>I was going to wait a little longer with this chapter, but I decided since this chapter is done now, I’m just gonna put it out right now.<br/>Thanks for reading, and I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate your guys’s feedback in the form of comments, kudos and bookmarks. They mean a lot to me, and keep them coming, please.<br/>As always, I don’t own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Cersei I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Cersei</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Court was miserable today. While the sun was out without a single cloud in the sky, inside it seemed nobody truly wished to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei stood in the gallery today, with Tommen and Lanna stood beside her, dressed in red as she was, looking every bit a proper Lannister Prince and Princess. Loren was too young to bring to court though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robert sat atop on the throne, as he often did, though he looked bored, and they had not yet even begun to hear the petitions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The councilors sat at their table near the foot of the throne, Lord Eddard, Varys, Pycelle, Littlefinger, Renly and Jaime, while Ser Boros Blount and Ser Mandon Moore stood at the foot of the throne to guard the king.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joffrey was off in the yard, training under the watchful eye of Ser Aron Santagar, though Cersei spotted his betrothed, Sansa, among the gallery as well, watching court with her septa, her mother and the two Northern girls she kept as companions. One of them simply stood as a shadow by Sansa’s side, as most noble ladies in waiting did, but the other stood out with her dyed green hair, the Manderly girl, Cersei remembered. And, there was the pale Frey girl as well, though Cersei didn’t pay much heed to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three ladies in waiting, and a brother who wants to be a knight of the Kingsguard, while her father was Hand. Lord Eddard seemed intent on replacing her as queen with Sansa before she had even married Joffrey, let alone before Joffrey had even become king.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The herald announced that the session of court had begun, with Lord Gawen Westerling being the first man called forward. Cersei took little interest in his petition, he simply requested a lift on some taxes that he said were ruining his house, as well as the granting of some choice lands nearby that his family had once sold off to neighboring lords.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Lord Gawen was done, it was the knight of Flowers, Ser Loras Tyrell, who stepped forward, and announced to the court the birth of his nephew, Harwin, born to his brother, Willas, and the king’s own sister, Lady Floris Baratheon. He urged Robert to pay a visit to Highgarden in honor of the occasion, however Robert declined, instead welcoming Loras to have the babe presented to court instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next was a knight of the Riverlands, sent by Lord Hoster Tully, who informed the court of the coming marriage between Lord Hoster’s son and heir, Ser Edmure, to a Frey of the Twins, and urged members of court to be in attendance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robert gave his blessing for the marriage, though he said that he would be unable to attend the wedding. The Knight thanked Robert, and joined back in with the rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Titus Peake of Starpike,” the herald called forward next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei watched as the man stepped forward towards the throne, and took a knee before it, followed by a young maid that Cersei could only guess was his daughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your grace, my lords, I would beg of the council and king to consider my daughter, Lenora, as a worthy match for Prince Joffrey. Trueborn and of high birth, she would be more than suitable for a Prince of the realm.” He said before the eruption from the court.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei looked over at Sansa, who she saw was blushing and seemed quite nervous, while the Manderly girl at her side seemed furious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only when Robert ordered silence people began to settle themselves again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our good Prince Joffrey is betrothed to Lady Sansa Stark, the hand’s own daughter my lord.” Varys informed him, with a touch of pity in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Lord Hand took one of the royal Princesses for his heir, did he not? Surely marrying one of his own daughters to the Crown Prince in addition to that would be placing his own interests above those of the realm,” the lord reasoned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei heard one or two murmurs of agreement around her, but those were quickly silenced by another knight, who spoke up loudly in agreement. “His lordship is right, the Hand overreaches his office,” the voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Others seemed likely to take up the call, when another man, a knight that Cersei didn’t recognize responded. “Prince Joffrey and Lady Sansa were by agreement of both of their fathers in the Light of the Seven and the Old Gods. It should take the High Septon himself to break their betrothal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he is here,” Lord Titus replied quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve entertained this for long enough. Leave,” Robert ordered, and the Lord of Starpike did as he was bid, going with both himself and his daughter, exiting the throne room entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl was pretty, Cersei thought to herself, with brown hair and shy brown eyes, as well as fine features she no doubt took from her mother, Cersei’s own Aunt Margot. With Myrcella married off to the Stark boy, it should only be fitting that Joffrey take two wives as the conqueror once did, though she knew Robert would never agree to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took several minutes for everyone to regain their composure before the next petitioner was called forward.“Ser Donnel Waynwood of the Vale,” the herald announced next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young knight from the Vale stepped forward before the throne, with some silent sisters next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your grace… Your son, Ser Orryn, was slain by Mountain Clansmen along the Highroad. I was sent here, along with his bones, so that you may choose where they will lie,” he explained quickly, and Cersei saw how quickly Robert’s face changed from fury to sadness in the blink of a moment. She had never seen Robert express so much concern even for their own children, why should this bastard in the Vale get any?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He showed more grief for this lowborn child than he had ever shown in care for her own children.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei felt furious watching the display unfold. Robert descended from the throne, and quickly bid the Small Council continue on the remainder of the session without him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to our brother?” Lanna asked wide eyed, next to her. She seemed to be near tears for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took her a moment to calm herself for her daughter, before she finally spoke. “He wasn’t your brother dear. Just some bastard from the Vale.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lanna gave her a look of confusion, not knowing what a bastard was, but Cersei told her not to ask about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei remembered some of the other ladies Robert had kept in court. The Stokeworth girl had sought to be a second queen of sorts, so she had Pycelle see to it that the girl died when she birthed her third child, while the Frey she had and poisoned because the court thought to act like she was queen, rather than Cersei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there was the Dornish whore, who had presumed to request Robert naturalize her son, that Robert in all his ignorance actually done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she was able to catch Jaime’s eye, and he gave her a look of disinterest as the next petitioner came forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ser Edmund Waxley, the Knight of Wickenden,” was called forward next, with Robert gone, now, with the Council table having been shifted to be before the throne completely, rather than to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lords, as I am sure you all know, Lord Jon Arryn provided a steady hand for all the Vale for many years. But since he perished, things have grown troublesome. Lord Edric is but a boy of two and ten, and his mother… She’s gone half mad with grief,” he started to explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what is it that you would have us do Ser?” Lord Eddard asked, his voice hinting at frustration with the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would by your leave take Lady Lysa to wife, so that I may rule for her son in his name until a time when he comes of age my lord,” the knight said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If Lady Lysa agrees to marry you, then you may. If she doesn’t, then you may not,” he replied impatiently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next petition was Jalabhar Xho, singing his yearly song asking for the Crown’s help in reclaiming the Summer Isles. Somebody must not have told Lord Eddard about this, and watching him as he wished for someone to explain the merits of such a solution brought some level of joy to Cersei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it hardly mattered. She decided to leave since there was little worth staying for. She left with Lanna and Tommen by her side, as she walked away. Few took notice, which was more frustrating to Cersei, as she left. They ought to have more regard for their queen, she thought bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her children were following quietly as they walked with her. They did not shame themselves as Myrcella once had, but they still hardly were the darlings of court that Myrcella had grown into being, or Joffrey either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside the throne room, Cersei caught a glimpse of Myrcella and Marla’s gardens, and looked on them sadly. There were still servants who continued to maintain them, even though they were both a world away it felt, but they seemed empty now without them there. She remembered how her daughters had loved to pick flowers and put them into their hair, as Jenny of Oldstones was known to do, and play with her uncles and cousins and siblings among them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>These were effectively Lanna’s now she realized, with Myrcella wed at Winterfell, and Robert in his arrogance having chosen to let that cow, Lysa, take Marla as a ward at the Eyrie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She decided when she had made it to the small sept that she would leave her children there where they would take some lessons with Septa Eglantine, before she returned back to the outer yard, where she watched for a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joffrey was there she spotted, going up against the Blackwood boy Lord Eddard had taken on, Edmund she recalled he was named. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two seemed evenly matched as Cersei watched, as they went back and forth, dancing with their swords. She remembered how the pup Myrcella had married had refused to use live steel against Joffrey, though here it seemed that even Joff’s foe who was two years younger was using live steel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, Joff was able to gain the upper hand, and had disarmed his opponent who yielded. He looked so much like Jaime did, Cersei thought to herself as she watched, feeling some sense of pride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From her position in the outer yard, she saw people were beginning to exit the Throne Room, and she realized that they must have called an end to the court session.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei continued to watch, rueing the gods in their arrogance, who had seen it fit that she would be a woman. If she had been a man, she would be able to best all of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her growing rage was only interrupted by a familiar figure who was suddenly at her side. “Jaime?” She asked, a little surprised that he had come so close without her noticing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cersei,” he greeted in response. She could see a smirk on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you relieved of your duties?” Cersei asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yes. Robert grieves that son of his he no doubt never knew. Your children are attended to elsewhere,” Jaime told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” she responded. “Walk with me then,” she said, taking him by the arm, and together they began to walk away from the outer yard, and towards Maegor’s Holdfast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did anything else of note occur whilst I was gone?” Cersei asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh little else of importance. Some lord asked for another’s land, more marriages were announced, and Lord Eddard was forced to announce that tourney of Robert’s since Robert wasn’t there.” Jaime informed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei smiled a little. Jaime had told her how against the tourney Lord Eddard had been. “That surely would’ve made a wonderful sight,” she responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and Myrcella, is with child,” Jaime said, no doubt having heard it from Lord Eddard as well, thinking she had not been told already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she replied a bit mournfully. Lord Stark had taken Myrcella, Lady Lysa had snatched up Marla, and now Lanna was the only daughter that remained to her. Cersei found it in herself to manage to release them from her heart as she once had her son, but she vowed if Robert thought to send away one of her sons that remained to her that she would kill him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaime managed to keep a golden look upon his face, though he noticed some concern. She knew he had tried to be close with the two when they were young, before Joffrey had been born and she told him off for fear of her children’s safety and to not raise suspicions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon they were to the holdfast itself, where the drawbridge was lowered and scarcely anyone seemed to be guarding it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They decided to walk silently until they reached Cersei’s chambers. Jaime still wore his full suit of armor, though he was able to take it off on his own, leaving him in just his underclothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Eddard seems intent to follow where Jon Arryn left off,” Jaime said to her when he was done. “And another bastard’s bones were brought here, no doubt giving Lord Eddard more thought,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you have me do?” She asked him. “Robert loves the man, to be sure, but if he were killed, who do you think he’d choose? Father? He’d be more like to choose Stannis, which would be even worse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you that you were best to have Robert’s children,” Jaime told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cersei gave him a slap. “Two was too many, I ought to have given him none,” she fumed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaime gave her a sad look. “Then tell him,” he said. “Let him know of our treason, and we can run away together, live as man and wife elsewhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she wasn’t certain if Jaime had truly been serious, but the look upon his face made it clear he was. “You are a fool Jaime, my sweet, golden fool,” she told him. “You remember what happened when mother discovered us together? You would make our children illegitimate bastards born of incest, cost Joffrey his throne, Marla her marriage and Tommen the Rock. And Robert will not accept it so willingly either, nor is Myrcella like to be safe either. Lord Eddard will not be pleased that his son is wed to what he would think an abomination. Stannis would take the throne, with the Velaryon whore as his queen, or that bastard of the Dornish slut.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father would-” He started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Not be enough,” Cersei finished bluntly. “We are meant to be Jaime, but they cannot know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaime gave her a frown. “If you should give him another son…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slapped him again. “I will not,” she said firmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then would you have me kill Stannis and Renly then?” He asked her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I would, but Stannis is fled, and should Renly die by your sword you would only give Stannis more power. If only Robert had heeded me to leave Dragonstone to my firstborn… It doesn’t matter now...” She stated before her voice trailed off, and she placed a kiss upon Jaime’s cheek. She fumbled at the laces of his breeches, until they were untied, and falling down, and removed his tunic, revealing his bare chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Cersei told him, when she saw him staring at her, and he quickly moved in response, lifting her up, and beginning to remove her clothes until they were both naked, and he lifted her on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only waited for a moment before Jaime was on top of her, first rubbing her cunt with his hand, and planting kisses on her lips, before he began to enter her, giving her a great deal of pleasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They moved together, two halves made one, as she felt him go further and further in. For a moment they broke their kiss, and Cersei found herself crying out, before he kissed her again. She moved his hands to her breasts, where he began to pinch and fondle, making her body feel full with pleasure, until he had finished himself in her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rolled off of her, leaving her with her cunt still moist. She felt good, better than in a long time, and for a moment nothing else mattered to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will beat them,” Cersei finally said. “Stannis, Renly, Lord Eddard, Robert, should he find out.” She would not stop being with Jaime for them, and so long as they didn’t know, it didn’t matter. Other beasts were meant before the lion.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:<br/>	Again, there’s some additional info about Robert’s bastards and yes, mistresses. More info will come in later chapters.<br/>	Also, for the sake of realism, I added the Starks keeping a larger household. Right now, Sansa has two more additional female companions, Wylla Manderly and Fair Walda Frey. Additionally, Ned also has Elmar Frey as his page, and they have Edmund Blackwood and Warren Manderly as wards. Edmund is Tytos Blackwood’s fourth son, while Warren Manderly is an OC son of Wylis Manderly, aged 14 at this point.<br/>	For the sake of this story, I made Margot Lannister, Titus Peake’s wife, into a daughter of Tytos Lannister and Jeyne Marbrand, who was born in 253. They have two sons and a daughter, Tywald, born in 274, Gerold, born in 279, and Lenora, born in 286.<br/>	Meanwhile, there’s also another Baratheon sibling, Floris, who obviously is married to Willas and was born in 274 AC, two years after I’m going to assume Willas was born.<br/>	Also, I realize that at this point my mentions to William and Barbrey Dustin’s issue have been extremely inconsistent, and probably contradictory. Until I eventually go back and sort them all out, just ignore the inconsistencies with changing names and ages and whatnot. They have Beron, who was born in 285 AC, and Cregan, who was born in 289 AC.<br/>	We’ll next be paying a visit to Jeyne, so that should be fun…<br/>	Maybe one day I’ll issue an appendix of sorts to sort all this stuff out.<br/>Please be generous in your kudos and bookmarks, and I would also appreciate any and all comments, which always are so helpful in inspiring my writing.<br/>As I’m sure you’ve all caught onto by now, I don’t own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Catelyn II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catelyn</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had already finished eating supper, with the children in bed by the time Ned finally returned from the Small Council Meeting. He was in a foul mood as well from what she could see, no doubt having had another fight with the Council.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned still remained opposed to the tourney that was being held in his name, and mistrustful of the Council as a whole. He came to her as she sat in their chambers, knitting new clothes for herself since she had brought few south with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the first few days after she had arrived in King’s Landing she had received some queer looks from the people of court, though now well over a moon’s turn passed since she had decided to stay, most paid her little more heed than was warranted for the Lady of Winterfell, daughter of the Lord of Riverrun, and the Hand’s Wife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Rodrik had returned to Winterfell, and though he had loathed having to sail North again, he did as he was bid, carrying Ned’s instructions for Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord.” She greeted her husband as he sat down, and rubbed his temples in frustration. Ned favored her with a sad smile, before he kissed her forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Robert insists we shall go forward with this folly, no matter how often I urge him not to.” He told her. “We can’t pay for it, yet Robert must have one. He can hold it in my honor, though he cannot make me attend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ned, surely you should be there for the Tourney. Even if it was not being held in your name you are still the King’s Hand. At the very least the children ought to be present.” Catelyn said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her husband thought about it for a moment, before nodding. “If it is your wish I will not stop you, my lady.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn knew him long enough that more was behind his stress than this tourney though. “What else troubles you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have had no word back from Lord Stannis about when he means to return from Dragonstone. Last we heard he had wed his third son to Lady Myrielle Penrose, old Lord Penrose’s only granddaughter and heir, while his daughter Shireen has been betrothed to Lord Hightower’s grandson,” Ned told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he did not think to invite the court to Dragonstone for the wedding?” Catelyn asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, and neither for the other two weddings.” Ned told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two?” Catelyn could scarcely believe that the Lord of Dragonstone and brother of the King would have married three of his sons without the blessing of the king and the attendance of the court.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye. Since Jon Arryn’s death he wed his eldest to one of Lord Celtigar’s granddaughters, and his second to one to a Swann girl.” He explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is fostering Lysa’s son, Robert,” Catelyn recalled. She knew little of Lysa’s children, Catelyn realized, and she figured it past time she perhaps met them, but now would not be possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His fourth son is betrothed to Lord Randyll Tarly’s eldest daughter, Tya? Tansy?” He said shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All this after Jon Arryn died?” She pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded. “He was working closely with Jon too. I went to an armorer that they had paid a visit to together today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would they want with an armorer?” Catelyn asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not the armorer, his apprentice. One of Robert’s bastard sons,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know he was one of the King’s Bastards?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember the boy I grew up with well enough, and the boy I saw looked his mirror image. I spoke with what little remains in King’s Landing of Jon’s household as well, and the Grand Maester as well,” said Ned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn was a little confused, “Pycelle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apparently a few days before he died Jon asked for this.” He said, lifting the book she had not noticed prior to this. “A book of lineages, detailing members of the great houses of Westeros.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took the book, and opened it to one of it’s first pages, which detailed House Arryn. It began with the founder of House Arryn, Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight. Catelyn read through it until she got to the most recent entry, which was the birth of Jon Arryn’s younger sister, Alys, born to Lord Jasper Arryn and his lady wife, Princess Daella Targaryen in 221 AC.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, she flipped to the Tully entry, where the most recent lord listed was her great-great-uncle, Lord Axel, the eldest son of Lord Medger Tully, who had perished just five years later, and Riverrun had passed to his younger brother, Tytos, though that had not come to pass in the text.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn considered adding to the entry, to update it with the family history she remembered. Her great-grandfather, Lord Tytos had wed Alyssa Piper, with whom he had four children, three sons, Edwyn, Rogar and Alester, as well as their daughter, Celia, who was betrothed to Prince Jaehaerys, that would’ve even made her a queen one day. But the Prince had followed his heart, just as his mother and father had, wedding his sister, Princess Shaena, in defiance of her betrothal too. Catelyn recalled that Lady Celia had wed some Lord Hunter afterwards, though perhaps not the current one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edwyn had wed a Lefford of the Golden Tooth, with whom he had two sons, Hoster and Brynden, while Rogar wed Lady Melissa Piper, who only bore him stillbirths, and Alester who had strove to become a knight of the Kingsguard once, but his dreams never came to pass, and instead he wed Lady Arwen Oakheart, and fathered her sons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, she turned to the entry on House Stark. Their last entry was the recent marriage between the recently widowed and risen Lord Willam Stark and his new wife, Lady Melantha Blackwood, after his last wife, Lady Lyanne, and their son Brandon had died, while all of Lord Beron Stark’s children with Lady Larra Royce still lived, save Lord Donner who had been slain by Wildlings not long before. He had once been considered for a Targaryen Princess before the girl’s father had married her to the old Evenstar of Tarth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn thought to perhaps write in some entries as to Willam’s fate, and the rest of Lord Beron’s line, up to her children, but there wasn’t enough room at the bottom of the page.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most recent king according to the text was the then newly crowned King Maekar I, though he had been deceased nearly seventy years if Catelyn recalled correctly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would Jon Arryn have been wanting with this?” She asked him. It seemed worthless to her, just an old book with a bunch of names.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is what I’m trying to figure out, would that I had the wits of Lann the Clever to figure it out.” He said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if Lysa got it wrong?” Catelyn thought suddenly. “What if it was Lord Stannis who poisoned Jon Arryn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat…” Ned said with a great deal of disbelief in his voice. “Why would he do such a thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not know. But it does not seem so simple as it did before, my lord,” she replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is some secret in this. Something Jon died for, but what?” Ned said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you recall Lord Stannis from Dragonstone to see if he might know something?” Catelyn inquired. She didn’t know if he would even answer Ned’s summons, or be forthcoming to them, but perhaps it was worth testing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet. I would like to find the rest before speaking to him,” Ned responded quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What else is there?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Bryce Caron agreed to take on Bran as a squire,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn felt her chest fill with equal parts pride and sadness. Her son was now old enough to be squiring for another lord. It was a strange thought for her, to imagine how fast her sons were growing. Robb was wed too now, and soon to be at the end of his minority years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure Bran will be pleased to hear the news,” Catelyn replied. Bran had dreamt of squiring for some high lord or great knight, so she did not doubt this Stormlord would be to his liking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye. Lord Caron will be here for the tourney, which should give him a taste of being a squire too,” Ned added. He was certain to like that she knew, giving him a taste of the life of a squire. “But how are our children?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn studied her husband for a moment. Most his days he had spent in the Small Council chamber, returning to the Tower of the Hand after dark. “Sansa and Arya are always fighting. Thankfully those wolves of theirs refuse to harm each other, else we would have trouble. Bran has not been on the walls so much here, but it is only a matter of time surely. Lord Caron had best be able to keep him off them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her warmly, and she finally saw the man that she had fallen in love with, not the cold youth she had wed at Winterfell again. She placed a kiss upon his lips, before they moved to the bed, and lay in each other’s embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts though turned towards their eldest son. A few days passed they had gotten word that the Princess was with child. Even now, she felt a strange wave of emotions come over her when she thought about it. It felt stranger to her than it had even when she found out she was with child for the first time, or when Maester Luwin had placed Robb into her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb was to be a father himself now, she realized. It felt queer, knowing she would soon be a grandmother. Her thoughts went to those of her own mother, who had not lived to see her daughters become mothers of their own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there was Edmure who was now soon to be married to one of Lord Walder Frey’s granddaughters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lysa a widow, Robb a father, Bran a squire and Edmure a man wed. She wondered how they had all gotten so old without her noticing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They remained with each other until they heard a sudden scream coming from not far away within the tower. It was one of the girls screaming, Sansa, Catelyn realized, and she immediately jumped up. Ned did as well, and together they ran towards Sansa’s chambers, which weren’t far from their’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they arrived, the first thing Catelyn saw was Sansa crying on the bed, before she saw the others. Ser Mark Ryswell was in the room, and there was a dead man on the floor, while the Manderly girl who was Sansa’s bedmate was injured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She immediately rushed towards her daughter, and embraced her closely, though Sansa didn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Catelyn let go, she saw Sansa’s hands were clutching her stomach, and were covered in blood. In the background she was dimly aware that Ned was speaking with the men there asking about what had happened, but nothing else mattered to Catelyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Find me someone.” She ordered one of the men at arms at once, before she sat down next to Sansa on the bed. Catelyn looked over at the Manderly girl. She too was covered in blood, though didn’t seem to be injured. It was either Sansa or the man’s blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” She tried to ask Sansa calmy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sansa didn’t respond, and just kept crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is one of Lord Peake’s men,” Ned told everyone out loud. Catelyn saw though as his eyes darted towards Sansa. “Gods be good…” He said before he rushed over, to Sansa. With some luck, her injuries didn’t seem to be too bad, but they were there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn managed to remain calm, holding Sansa close until the man at arms she had sent off had returned with a Maester. It wasn’t Pycelle she saw quickly, it was Lady Tanda Stokeworth’s who oft remained at court with her daughters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as the Maester began to treat her own daughter, removing some of Sansa’s clothes and beginning to clean and dress Sansa’s wound before giving Sansa instructions on what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the maester had finished, and left Catelyn noted other men at arms had arrived. “Martyn, see to it that Arya and Bran’s chambers are under guard,” Ned directed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already have my lord,” the man responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. I had thought perhaps to send men to the kennels to bring the direwolves as well…” He began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that is good,” Catelyn replied. “From now on keep the wolves in their chambers at night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See to it that our guard at night is doubled as well,” Ned added. “Lengthen the watches for the nonce, I shall hire more guards soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cassel and some of the men at arms began to leave to attend their duties, leaving only Ser Mark Ryswell and two others in the room with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord… If Lord Peake had ordered this…” Ser Mark began to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He would have murdered my daughter to make his own a queen one day… Assemble some men and arrest Lord Titus. I should have him questioned about this,” Ned ordered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn felt dismayed hearing that. If Lord Titus had ordered one of his men to kill Sansa for her betrothal to Prince Joffrey then surely there would be others. She wondered how many more there would be who thought to wed their daughters to the Prince instead of her, and how many would go to such lengths. She realized many must see the match as the Hand overreaching, after Robb had already married one of the Princesses of the throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you command, my lord,” the knight said, and he bowed his head, turning to leave, and now it was just her with Ned and Sansa alone in the room, with the Manderly girl having left already she realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sansa…” Catelyn began to say, before she saw that Sansa had already fallen asleep on Ned’s shoulder. Let her dreams be sweet ones, Catelyn thought to herself. Some other servants had come, and where beginning to remove the body of Lord Peake’s man that still lay upon the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as Ned picked their daughter up, and began to carry her out of the room, while Catelyn followed close behind him. He made for their chambers, where when he arrived he gently placed Sansa on the bed. Catelyn joined her on the bed, laying down next to Sansa, as she felt tired herself, though Ned remained up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord…” Catelyn started to say, hoping he would join them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rest Cat. I have much to attend to, but you need to rest,” he said, before he placed a kiss on her forehead, and then he turned and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn toyed with one of Sansa’s auburn curls for a moment before she felt herself drifting off to sleep as well.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Well I promised next chapter would be checking in with Jeyne, but um… Sorry this is here first…</p><p>Anyways, four whole chapters in a month… That’s pretty fun…</p><p>Thank you guys for reading as always. </p><p>Comments, Kudos and Bookmarks are always welcome.</p><p>ASOIAF belongs to GRRM, not me...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Hodor I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hodor</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor!” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor; Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor? Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor?” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor!” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor; Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor? Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor?” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor!” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor; Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor? Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor?” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor!” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor; Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor? Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor?” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.” Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor,” Hodor Hodor. “Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor. Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hodor:<br/>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor!<br/>Hodor….<br/>Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor Hodor, Hodor, Hodor, Hodor.<br/>Hodor Hodor Hodor</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Jeyne II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jeyne</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raventree Hall had felt empty more oft than not for Jeyne. The lordling her father had arranged her to wed was near three years her senior, and she still had taken little liking to him, even though he was quite handsome.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every day that came and went left Jeyne wishing that Jon were there with her, though wishing for it could not change reality. Jon was gone, off to join the brave brothers of the Night’s Watch, and face battles against the Wildlings and other fearsome foes, while she was faced with battles of different sorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There had been several rumours that the king was to host a great tourney soon. Jeyne had desperately wanted to go, the chance to see her siblings again was too great to miss, before she remembered the presence of the king, and swiftly let those wishes die.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today though, she was in attendance at Riverrun, alongside half the Lords of the Riverlands. Edmure Tully was to wed Walda Frey three days hence, and as Jeyne was married to the heir to Raventree Hall, she had little choice but to attend. Jeyne had always felt a stranger in the Riverlands, even in Raventree where the Old Gods were still kept, but Riverrun was the place she felt least comfortable. This was Lady Catelyn’s home, and her presence was viewed by many as a slight. Jeyne’s bastardy only made things worse. She saw all the hidden glances, the secret mockery. None would say anything to her face, but she could tell what they thought of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne had been reluctant to go. She knew it would end badly, and was on the verge of feigning illness to escape it, when a sudden impulse led her to go. It was a bad decision she realized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the banners of the Riverlands decorated hundreds of pavilions surrounding Riverrun. The Darry plowman, the maid of Piper, the quartered dragons of House Vance, the Ryger willow, the red salmon of Mooton, the stallion of Bracken. The twin towers of House Frey were third only in place to House Tully’s Trout, and the Stag of House Baratheon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wedding was not only attended by Houses from the Riverlands. The banners of House Crakehall and House Lydden from the Westerlands, both kin of House Frey. From the Vale there came the Waynwoods, along with some Templetons and Redforts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was only one notable absence, house Mallister, who Jeyne assumed would arrive soon, since they hadn’t passed through Raventree before they departed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had wondered how Lord Hoster felt though, playing host to so many who had once fought for Prince Rhaegar on the Trident, and worse, knowing that he would be playing host to Ned Stark’s bastard daughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her own wedding had been paltry by comparison. There had only been a few attendees, mostly the close kin of House Blackwood, including the steward of the Twins, Lothar Frey, and Jason Mallister. And there was Ser Karyl Vance, who had married Lord Tytos’s sister, who had once been betrothed to her Uncle Benjen before he joined the Night’s Watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the others had been traveling to King’s Landing alongside her father. Even Robb’s wedding to a princess of the crown had been lesser, attended by the population of Winterfell, and a few minor Lords and heirs of the North along with the King’s Party.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Blackwood party began to make for the courtyard, where new visitors were being greeted. Hoster Tully held a mysterious ability to simultaneously glare at her, without looking at her at all, and it was most unnerving. Once greetings had been exchanged, the Blackwoods departed. Whilst all the King’s party had been hosted within Winterfell, there were too many Lords from all across the Realm for House Tully to host them all inside Riverrun, and to invite one in and to exclude another would be a grievous slight. Only those families who were Kin to the Bride or Groom received quarters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Tytos, her good father, had led those who attended the wedding, alongside Brynden, Lucas and Hoster. Edmund was in King’s Landing, and Alyn, Beth and Robert, along with their mother, had remained at Raventree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they were finished, a steward began to lead them to where they would be able to set up their pavilion, which some servants began to see to it being set up, and Jeyne decided to make for the Godswood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was bright and sunny, unlike the primal and grand Godswood at Winterfell or the aged and ancient one at Raventree Hall. It was small as well, closer to a garden than a wood, and seemed to see little use.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stayed only for a few minutes before she grew bored, and left, making back for their pavilion, and began to prepare herself for the feast that would be upon them soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although the wedding itself was still three days away, a banquet was being held tonight to celebrate the arrival of most of the guests. House Blackwood was seated at a table towards the top of the hall, alongside more junior members of House Frey and both branches of House Vance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne soon fell to boredom, the food seemed endless, and the conversation only grew louder. She knew that she had drunk too much as well, and that she ought to keep herself better composed, but she didn’t care. Eventually she decided that she had enough, and she excused herself and left for the Godswlod to clear her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne sat down at the foot of the Weirwood and began to pray to the old gods. She prayed silently for her family. For Sansa, Arya and Bran in King’s Landing, for Robb and Rickon still at Winterfell, and most of all for Jon, alone at the wall. She hoped she would see him again. As she sat, she found herself wondering if her father had ever prayed before this tree during the Rebellion, and if he had, what had he prayed for?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she wished to see her father again, but as she tried to picture him, all she could see was his cold disapproving gaze that she had only ever seen from Lady Catelyn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to shove those thoughts aside, and wondered about her mother that she had never known. As children she and Jon had asked their father about her a lot, but all he would tell them was that he had loved her dearly. For Jon that seemed to be enough, but Jeyne had never stopped wondering. When her father hadn’t told them anything, she had asked their grandmother in the hopes she might know, yet she had not told them anything, and she had died not long after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually father had promised one day he would speak to them about their mother, yet when they had parted ways he had done no such thing, despite Jon being off to become a man of the Night’s Watch, and her becoming a woman wed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne wondered if her mother knew that Jon was going to the Wall, or of her marriage, and what she thought of it. Was her mother even still alive? Jeyne asked silently to the gods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure it is empty?” a voice asked in a hushed whisper. Jeyne retreated behind the tree. She wished Silver was here with her rather than back at their pavillion</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you my lord,” said another. “No one will be in the Godswood at this hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As we discussed then, the Prince and his sister.” said a third.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are Stark’s wards my lord. There is no way for us to crown them when they are hostages of the usurper's most loyal subject,” the first voice said. Jeyne felt her heart rising in her chest a little. She wasn’t supposed to be hearing this she knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stark cares not for the Lannister, that much is plain, perhaps...” The third began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second man quickly cut him off, “Stark will remain loyal to the throne as his honour demands. Little as he likes the Lannisters, he will hardly try to remove his friend’s son.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stark’s feud with Robert is greater than you realise, and his dislike for the Lannisters is well known. You should pay more heed to rumours, my Lord.” A fourth voice declared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you should pay more heed to common sense.” A fifth voice spoke up, “Stark’s dislike of the Lannisters may run deep, and he may not be as close with Baratheon as he once was, but he will not rise to war against them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we must be the spark that makes the war,” declared the third voice, “If we pit the Lannisters against the Starks, and are able to crown the true heir, then we will be unstoppable. Riverrun will follow Winterfell, and the Blackwoods, Mallisters and Freys will follow Riverrun. Prince Doran will support his nephew’s claim to the throne, while the heir to Pyke is wed to our Prince’s sister. The Reach fought for the Targaryens once, they will do so again, and the Lord of the Vale is a boy of twelve. There has not been a better time.”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your plan is folly,” replied the second man. “If we can crown the boy, everything will fall into place, yet we have no way to crown him.” Suddenly Jeyne realized what they were planning on doing. They wanted to crown Aegon, the silver haired lad who had grown up alongside her at Winterfell. She considered for a moment how he might have felt if he were hearing this now, remembering how he had taken little interest in reclaiming his grandfather’s throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we do not strike now, we will lose a golden chance. Most of the realm will rise with us. Should we delay, we risk losing all.” Declared the fourth. “March on King’s Landing will all our force. Together we should be able to take the capital by force. Lady Whent will join us for certain, to avenge her husband and sons who fell in the Rebellion. We strike now and fast, and we take King’s Landing. Imprison Stark, kill the usurper, exchange Lord Stark for the rightful heir and crown him.” They would hurt her father she realized grimly, and all Jeyne could think was that she had to warn him. But what would she say to him? She spotted some men she didn’t know discussing treason in the Godswood of Riverrun, which would not be received well. Her father would listen to her, and hear her tale, and be there to reassure her when she had finished, but he wouldn’t act on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will Lord Tywin sit idly by as we depose his grandchildren and kill his son? Will the Stark boy not march to save his father? Will Riverrun, and Raventree Hall, Seagard and the Twins stay back as we march? Will Dragonstone, Highgarden, Driftmark and Storm’s End not interfere as we kill their kin, and depose their allies? Will Yohn Royce forget the deaths of his Brother and Father?” asked the fifth. “We need a war, that much is plain, but we can hardly fight against the realm alone. We must pit Stark against Lannister, and use the chaos to our advantage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>”There are others who will join us. Lord Connington has returned from exile I’ve heard it said, and no doubt his people would like the return of their lord. With them should come the rest who fought for Rhaegar, Swann, Tarth, Dondarrion, Penrose, Selmy, Buckler. Storm’s End itself is held by a Penrose and a Reacher Lord if I recall correctly, and the rest have little love for the Baratheons,” the fourth replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The usurper is not like to sit about as the realm rises against him, my lords. Lord Tywin…” A sixth man began to explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is old and the power of the Rock is not what it was. The Reynes and Tarbecks are dead, the Westerlings failing, the Leffords ruled by an old man, whose only heir is a girl of nine and the Braxs connected to House Frey by marriage. The Lords of the West love Lord Tywin naught,” the third voice told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But how?” Asked the first voice again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We strike. Lord Eddard holds little love for the Lannisters, nor does Lord Tywin have much fondness for the Starks. Should any ill befall one of their kin…” The third voice said, which caused Jeyne to panic. If they knew she was listening, surely they would be coming for her then, and they might anyways she realized. She wasn’t safe at Riverrun anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked around. There was no way for her to escape the Godswood, not without surely alerting them to her presence, until for a moment she looked at the Weirwood Tree before her. Bran is just as much Lord Eddard’s son as I am his daughter, Jeyne thought to herself before she began to climb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hard when she was so drunk, and twice she nearly fell, and she feared she night have created such a noise to alert them to her presence, but she was quickly safe on one of the Weirwood Tree’s large branches hidden by the leaves, and continued to listen from there without them seeming to know she was there at all..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-The Princlings are both unwed, as well. They will be able to rally more lords to their banners. Perhaps there is merit to this plan,” the first voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Times have changed my lords though,” the fifth man started. “Lord William Mooton tried to marry his daughter to Ser Edmure, and that same daughter is a lady in waiting to one of the Usurper’s daughters. Lady Shella is a weary widow whose husband and sons have all predeceased her, the Stormlords tipped their banners to Robert when defeated, and Mace Tyrell has more reason to love the Usurper than he does the Targaryens now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment there was silence, and Jeyne wondered if the man had won them all to support his caution, but it was only fleeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Whent grows wary, yes my lord, but she has not forgotten. She will rally to the banner of the dragon when it is raised,” the second voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are gathered now my lords. Would you not give your life to remove the usurper from the throne?” The third voice added. “People here have not forgotten how King Aegon I saved the Riverlands from the tyranny of Harren the Black. They yearn for their rightful king, and few would stand against us. We should march at once and take the capital. Rosby, Stokeworth and Hayford will provide scarce defense and we should soon have the city in our hands with the Usurper and his sons having their heads decorating the Red Keep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Such a move would be folly my lord. Stark and Lannister would descend on our rear, while we would face hosts raised by the usurper in King’s Landing, and Tully, Blackwood and Frey will not sit back idly either. We need a war, for certain, and we must needs pit the lion and the wolf against each other,” the first man stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you do ser?” Asked the second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have an idea my lord, though I must think on it some. We shall strike soon though, I am certain,” the first voice responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, the men began to part, though Jeyne couldn’t see them, just hear them walking away. But she could not tell if all six had left, and so she waited and waited in the tree, until she finally found herself drifting asleep, and the next morning when she awoke, she was in the Maester’s Chambers only having a sparse remembrance of the previous night, and an angry man looking over her.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Oh wow, look at me getting 5 whole chapters out in a whole month, and counting...</p><p>Obviously that last chapter was an April Fool’s day joke.</p><p>Next chapter will be back at Winterfell, though I’m not quite sure when it will be out.</p><p>Oh and if anyone is able to properly put names to faces of the voices Jeyne hears, then props to you.</p><p>Thanks for reading as always, and all comments, kudos and bookmarks are more than welcome.</p><p>ASOIAF belongs in its entirety to GRRM. I own none of it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Robb Iv</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robb</p><p>Many a rumor had been spread about the castle, yet Robb had not chosen to believe it, though now he found that he wished that he had.</p><p>Daemon sat before him in his father’s solar, and Robb found himself wondering what had become of both of them.</p><p>For a moment it was not a man who sat before him, but the boy who he had grown up with, his friend.</p><p>Aegon had told Robb that he would’ve been willing to speak with Daemon, however Robb had refused. He would speak with Daemon, as was his duty. He was Lord of Winterfell while father was away, and he would do the Lord’s duties as such, even if he did not like them.</p><p>“What are we to tell the girl’s father?” Robb began to say. </p><p>Daemon gave him a hard stare choosing not to answer.</p><p>Robb gave a sigh. Myrcella had caught Daemon abed with one of her ladies in waiting, the daughter of Bronze Yohn Royce. He remembered how his father had acted when he had caught Theon abed with Rhaenys, making the two wed, but Robb wondered how the girl’s lord father would feel being wed to one of Prince Rhaegar’s sons. Especially one named for the Rogue Prince. And Robb doubted he had forgotten the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of Aerys.</p><p>“A dragon takes what it will,” Daemon responded.</p><p>Oh good, Robb thought to himself. “Your father did that once, when he took my aunt,” he told Daemon, allowing his voice to trial off. They both had been told the story hundreds of times before.</p><p>That cut deeper than anything Robb could see. Daemon had always resented that he was not a prince. “Will you have my head then?” He asked, knowing full well the answer.</p><p>“No. But you will wed the girl to preserve her honor, and you will write to her father apologizing for it. I ought to send you to Lord Royce in the Vale to personally beg his forgiveness, but…” Robb said allowing his voice to trail off. ”You will keep to her bed, lest you be sent to the Wall or gelded.”</p><p>Lord Royce would no doubt be furious, having his daughter wed to Rhaegar’s son, but it would surely be worse if Daemon did not take Rhea to wife. Yohn Royce had visited Winterfell less than two years past, to bring his youngest son, Waymar, to the Night’s Watch. He had been kind enough to Robb himself, but had ignored the Targaryens entirely. They had not even been seated at the high table whilst he was present, and even Jon was.</p><p>The Royces were one of the most prestigious Houses in Westeros, with lineage as old and proud even as House Stark. They had ruled over large swathes of the Vale from Runestone for millenia, before being defeated in the Andal Conquest of the Vale. Even despite that defeat, they remained House Arryn’s staunchest and strongest vassal. Yohn Royce himself had won great renown at tourneys, jousting at Harrenhal and Lannisport. He had almost won the Melee at Harrenhal as well, before he was defeated by Robert Baratheon. Royce was also renowned for his prowess on the battlefield, slaying Ser Jonothor Darry in single combat at the Trident, and rallying the forces of the Vale to rout the Riverlander before Robert had even slain Prince Rhaegar.</p><p>But, his greater fear was that of the king. Myrcella had spoken to him of how her father had taken little liking to the marriage of Rhaenys to Theon when he had first been told. Lord Arryn had been able to assure him that the match was not a threat to Robert’s throne, but Lord Arryn was dead now, and it was father in King’s Landing. With Daemon marrying a Royce of Runestone… Robb could not ever believe that Yohn Royce would support Aegon, but if King Robert ever believed there was any risk at all, Aegon and Daemon would both lose their heads.</p><p>“May I be excused then, <em> my lord?” </em>Daemon asked with a flare of anger in his voice.</p><p>“No,” Robb said flatly. “You’ll wed in a moon’s turn. I’ll have to invite Lord Royce, but I cannot imagine he will accept. I will have to deal with the Skagosi, so I will not be present. If you do not accept, Yohn Royce may try to have you sent to the Wall or beheaded.”</p><p>“Aye, I’ll wed the girl,” Daemon responded. Robb did not doubt it was exactly what Daemon wanted, since the marriage would elevate his status. Surely he believed that Yohn Royce or Robb’s father would feel obligated to give him some lands for it, though Robb considered the prospect unlikely.</p><p>“Then we are done now,” he told him, and Daemon departed. Robb sighed and rubbed his temples when he was alone. He wished that his father were there, he had always known what to do. </p><p>He sat there, going through some of the letters on the desk aimlessly. Robb knew he should be outside, enjoying the fleeting summer, but he had other matters to attend to.</p><p>It was the Dornish Princess who came next into the solar. She was dressed more warmly than when she first came to Winterfell, but she could still hardly be described as a model of propriety. </p><p>“What would you have of me, my lord?” She asked, her voice purring a little as she did.</p><p>“You will be returning to Dorne soon, will you not?” Robb responded. It would be good to get to the point first, rather than draw it out.</p><p>“Oh yes, I believe so,” Arianne replied.</p><p>“Good, I would ask one more favor of you when you leave then,” he said.</p><p>“Anything…” She said, giving him a wicked smile. The Princess was eager to curry favor with the heir to Winterfell Robb could see, which he was not so sure if it was a good thing.</p><p>“If Princess Elia is to remain at Winterfell, I would have you take Daenerys south to Sunspear with you,” Robb told her.</p><p>Arianne raised an eyebrow. “A princess for a princess…. Why?”</p><p>“You would do well not to ask, or tell anyone of the arrangements. I would like it to be kept quiet,” Robb explained.</p><p>“Our little secret then,” Arianne said, smiling a little.</p><p>“Yes, our little secret,” Robb replied, letting his impatience show through, and the Dornishwoman knew to take her leave.</p><p>It would be best if Daemon didn’t know he was sending Daenerys south, he decided, but he needed to tell her of it at least. He looked around, and decided there was little else he needed to do for the day, and went to find Daenerys.</p><p>She turned out to not be so difficult to find though, near the courtyard, from which they began to walk together. Daenerys wore blue today, and it made her purple eyes stand out. “Daenerys, I-”</p><p>“You spoke to Daemon?” Daenerys asked him. “I know that. He was not pleased, that much was plain.”</p><p>“I did, but that’s not what I am here for,” he told her. “I’m sending you away.”</p><p>He saw a look of shock on Daenerys’s face when he said that. “Why?”</p><p>“What you told me… I had thought it best you be away from here.” It was only partially a lie. He and Aegon had discussed it and agreed it was the wisest course of action, though there was another part that Aegon had thought it best not be told to Daenerys.</p><p>“Where are you sending me?” She asked him.</p><p>“With Princess Arianne when she leaves,” Robb said.</p><p>Daenerys considered that for a moment. “To Dorne…”</p><p>“To Dorne,” he echoed. “You are not to tell anyone though. I would rather Daemon not catch wind of it before you leave.”</p><p>“When will I be able to return?” Daenerys asked him. There was some fear on her face he could see, and sadness as well, deep within her violet eyes. Robb didn’t think it compared to how he felt. First it was father going south, with Jon and Jeyne leaving. Then it was his mother who left, and now Daenerys. Next it would no doubt be Theon and Rhaenys returning to the Isles. Rickon would grow older and eventually father would bring him south to court. And Robb would be alone someday. Alone with Myrcella and their children, in a castle that he scarcely recognized half the time.</p><p>“I do not know,” he lied. In truth, never seemed most likely, but he didn’t say it.</p><p>“Is that answer supposed to please me?” She said.</p><p>“No,” Robb said, answering honestly this time.</p><p>“Good, because it doesn’t.” Daenerys responded.</p><p>He looked at Daenerys. She had wished to marry him once, he knew, and even he had wanted to as well for a time, but when she had asked his father about it, he had told her no.</p><p>“I’m sorry Daenerys,” he finally managed, not expecting she would appreciate it, but knowing he needed to say something all the same.</p><p>To his surprise though, Daenerys gave him a hug. “I will miss you,” she whispered into his ear.</p><p>“I will too,” Robb whispered back.</p><p>When Daenerys finally let go, he turned around to see Myrcella was walking in, Greywind following closely behind her.</p><p>“I leave you, my lord,” Daenerys said to him, turning walking away from him, leaving him with Myrcella on one of the turrets overlooking the main courtyard.</p><p>She wore a red and gold dress today in the colors of House Lannister, and took his arm joining him in overlooking the courtyard. Daemon was not there, as far as Robb could see, while he watched as Ser Barristan was helping in the training of the men at arms. Others stood around, watching, cheering and encouraging them on, as they fought, while further off he could see that Rickon was playing with some of the other children of the castle. They were playing some game that he didn’t know.</p><p>“Daemon will marry Rhea,” Robb told her. He saw that Myrcella was still troubled by it though. “Lord Royce will not be pleased with the match will he? Daemon holds no lands or titles that their children might inherit or....”</p><p>“I’m not sure Robb. Rhea’s eldest sister was wed to a Frey of the Crossings a half a dozen years ago. Arlan or Harwin, or something like that.”</p><p>“And?” Robb urged, uncertain as to what she wanted to tell him.</p><p>“He was one of Lord Walder’s grandsons by his third wife, without a hope of inheritance… Perhaps he will be willing to accept the match. He is a good friend of our fathers too,” Myrcella offered.</p><p>He nodded in response. It made him feel a little better, but not by much, and left a bad taste in his mouth.</p><p>“Come with me,” Robb said impulsively, leading Myrcella through the turrets, and down to the courtyard itself, where they made for the stables.</p><p>Greywind padded along eagerly, while Myrcella followed a little more cautiously.</p><p>Robb spoke with one of the grooms, who began to ready horses for them when they reached the stables themselves.</p><p>“Where are we going?” Myrcella asked him.</p><p>“You like to ride, do you not?” Robb responded. He knew she wasn’t as good as Robb or his siblings, but she still did enjoy riding.</p><p>“Yes, but-” she answered before Robb cut her off.</p><p>“Then, you would do well to know the lands around Winterfell too then,” he said to her.</p><p>Myrcella seemed to understand, and though neither were particularly prepared to ride, when the groom actually brought the horses to them, she mounted hers all the same.</p><p>Robb decided they should ride out the Northern gate, which meant they had to go across the entire castle, through the yard and past the main keep, before they finally had left through the Northern Gate.</p><p>Nobody had stopped them as they rode through, and once they had ridden past the outer wall, he noticed that Myrcella was looking back at the Castle of Winterfell, a little in awe, before she turned to look ahead at the Wolfswood that lay ahead of them.</p><p>They rode further and further from the castle and into the woods. The Wolfswood was quiet today, save for the sounds of them and their horses.</p><p>When they had ridden for nearly an hour, Robb stopped them, and they dismounted together.</p><p>There was a small creek, which Myrcella took a drink from, while Robb saw to the horses, and when they were finished, he sat down on the ground against a rock that seemed almost to be like a tree stump. It was a little cold, but Robb didn’t feel it mattered, and Myrcella quickly joined him.</p><p>Robb toyed with one of her golden curls in his hand, and looked over her now that they were a good ways from the castle.</p><p>“Why did you bring me here?” Myrcella asked him.</p><p>“To show you, and to be with you, alone, away from the castle. Free from Daemon, and Rhea, and Theon, and Maester Luwin, and all the rest,” he told her.</p><p>Myrcella moved his hand from her hair to her stomach. “If we should have a girl, I know what I would name her.”</p><p>“What would that be?” Robb asked her.</p><p>“Joanna, for my mother’s mother,” Myrcella said.</p><p>“Joanna…” Robb said, with his voice trailing off at the end. “That sounds good my lady.”</p><p>“Did you ever know your grandmothers?” Myrcella asked him.</p><p>“My mother’s mother, Lady Minisa died before I was born, and my father’s mother, Lady Lyarra, died when I was young. I don’t remember her much, but father always says that she loved Jon and Jeyne and I more than anything.”</p><p>Myrcella nodded. “I never knew Lady Joanna, she died birthing my uncle Tyrion. Lady Cassana lives at Storm’s End, and was always kind to me.”</p><p>“What of your grandfathers?” Robb asked. He knew who they were, but he wanted to hear it from her first.</p><p>“Lord Tywin… He paid visits to court from time to time, and sometimes mother would take me and my brothers and sisters to Casterly Rock to see him. He can be a cold man most the time. And I never knew Lord Steffon since he died before I was born too,” she told him.</p><p>Robb thought about his own grandfathers too. Lord Rickard had been slain by the Mad King, along with Uncle Brandon after Prince Rhaegar kidnapped Aunt Lyanna. While Lord Hoster still lived, he did not ever remember meeting him, though mother insisted that his grandfather had held him once as a babe, and another time a little before Sansa was born, Lord Hoster had paid the North a visit.</p><p>Robb supposed he ought to not complain though. He had a mother and father both who had raised him, Daenerys had no parents, Theon had not seen his in years, and Rhaenys, Aegon and Daemon had only scarcely seen their mother before she had finally decided to stay behind at Winterfell this time.</p><p>“So Joanna if we have a girl… What if we have a boy?” Robb asked her.</p><p>“I don’t know… I’ll think of something in time… Or you can,” Myrcella said.</p><p>He placed a kiss on Myrcella’s belly. “When it’s born, we can pay King’s Landing a visit and present our babe to court, and let both our fathers and mothers see them.”</p><p>“That sounds wonderful Robb,” she said, though Robb could see the faintest bit of sadness on her face.</p><p>Robb saw that nearby there was a blue winter rose and he picked it, before he gently placed it in Myrcella’s hair that had been previously free of flowers.</p><p>For just a moment they sat with each other in silence, before Robb heard some branches snapping around them. “Greywind?” he called out, noticing the wolf wasn’t nearby.</p><p>He sat up quickly, and looked around, and noticed six people near them that hadn’t been there before. “Myrcella, we have to go” he whispered softly, and she shot up immediately next to him.</p><p>The horses were still tied to the tree, and Robb began to fumble at the ropes, while Myrcella mounted her horse. When he had finally untied them, and began to mount, he noticed they were surrounded.</p><p>He studied the figures carefully. Four men and two women he noticed, and two of them wore the black cloaks of the Night’s Watch. The rest he judged to be wildlings. No man is more dangerous than a man whose life is forfeit, Robb remembered his father had told him once.</p><p>“Where do you two think you’re going?” One of the men wearing black asked.</p><p>“To hell with where they’re going,” said one of the wildling men. “We’ll take the mounts and anything else of value from your persons and be off.”</p><p>“No,” Robb responded bluntly, drawing his sword. “Go, and we will forget you were ever here. Stay and you die.”</p><p>The other Deserter was studying him closely. “Bold this one is, just to match his garb. I remember Lord Stark brought two of his sons to the Wall once, that had fire in his hair. Must be the boy became a man now.”</p><p>The boy is still a boy, Robb thought to himself.</p><p>“A son of Lord Stark? We ought to keep him a prisoner. If we should deliver him to Mance….” One of the Wildling women suggested.</p><p>“No, we’re not going North again. Cut their throats is what we ought to do,” the first deserter said.</p><p>Robb heard a nervous cry from Myrcella. He hoped that he could hold them off until Greywind returned, but the wolf didn’t seem to be coming.</p><p>He couldn’t wait any long, and instead he charged forward, going at the second deserter from the Night’s Watch.</p><p>Their swords clashed with Robb swinging down from atop his horse, with a blow the man struggled to block. The man made a strike for Robb’s leg, that he quickly countered, and their swords clashed once more, before Robb caught the man off guard and was able to stab him in the chest, and he fell to the ground, bleeding. Dead, he thought to himself, unsure what to make of it before he turned around and saw one of the wildling men was behind him.</p><p>Robb made short work of this one too, and he rode into the stream, where the wildlings were unlikely to follow him, when he heard a cry of dismay.</p><p>Myrcella, he remembered suddenly, feeling half a fool, but when he turned around, he saw that she had dismounted, whether by choice or force he couldn’t tell, and the wildling woman had a dagger to Myrcella’s stomach.</p><p>“With child she is, isn’t she?” The woman asked him. “Drop the sword lad.”</p><p>Robb looked at Myrcella into her eyes that shined like emeralds, and knew he had no choice. He dropped his sword into the creek below him, watching in dismay as he did. He could only hope they would be merciful to Myrcella after he had killed two of them, while he would become just another one of Old Nan’s stories. Lord Stark’s heir, who married a Princess and was killed by Wildlings. It was better than being flayed by Boltons he decided.</p><p>But just then he felt something pulling him from behind, hands pulling him down. “The horse,” a deep voice said in his ear, and suddenly he was falling towards the creek below where his sword lay, and when he landed, everything went black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>You’ll notice Myrcella has blond hair and green eyes again in this chapter. I switched her back to being Jaime’s daughter, rather than Robert’s.</p><p>Anyways, that’s all I got for this chapter. Thanks for all the comments, kudos and bookmarks as always.</p><p>All rights belong to GRRM, I own nothing here.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Jon II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jon</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winterfell was less than a half day’s ride away now, Jon knew. He had ridden these woods for years. Every brook and tree seemed familiar to him, and he could feel as though he were getting closer to where he ought to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By Jeyne’s side, Jon thought to himself. He wondered just how she would react to the fact that they weren’t twins in truth, but cousins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ghost had not strayed too far today, he noted, much less than he did normally. He hadn’t even left to go hunt, which struck Jon as queer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hand slipped to his sword belt, where the sword of the Dragonknight, the Old King and the Rogue Prince hung from his scabbard for just a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon continued his ride in silence, as he found himself getting closer and closer to the castle where he had grown up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wondered how Lady Catelyn would feel about him returning to Winterfell. Robb would no doubt allow Jon to stay for some time, but his mother would kick him out soon enough. She might be more receptive though if she knew Jon no intention to stay long, but continue south.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> It didn’t matter, he decided. If Lady Catelyn did not allow him to stay, he wouldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point he decided to dismount along a brook. The water was clean, Jon noted, and he decided to take a drink from it. Further off he heard another horse whining, and steel clashing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon decided to go investigate it, remounting his horse, and riding quickly. He wondered if someone had been sent to greet him, but to his surprise, the first thing that he encountered was a wolf, one of the direwolves he realized. It must be Greywind he realized since all the others save Shaggydog were south, and it clearly was not Shaggydog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For as comfortable as his horse was around Ghost, he wasn’t familiar with Greywind, and a bit uneasy near the new wolf, however Greywind quickly turned and led them down the path, going quickly. Jon spurred the horse to go faster, as he made south, until finally he saw where the noises were coming from. There were two horses that some were struggling with, four he counted, who as he got closer he saw were wildlings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, not wildlings, Jon realized, when he saw one of them had a black cloak, and he approached them quickly. “Another one,” one of them called out, and he could see Robb was lying face up in the stream, unmoving, with whom he judged to be Princess Myrcella attending to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb had fought them he realized, when he saw that two of them were dead on the ground before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t matter to Jon though, who unsheathed Dark Sister, and charged at them. “Winterfell!” He yelled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went for the first wildling before him, a big and bald man, who seemed to have deserted from the Night’s Watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His foe drew his sword as well to meet with Jon, who could dimly see that Greywind and Ghost had both taken action as well, with Greywind having torn at the leg of a woman, who was screaming now, and Ghost having bitten the neck of a wildling who had let go of his axe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon’s own duel hardly lasted before the man swung low, right for the horse’s leg, which caused the horse to buckle out from under him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment all that he could see was that he was falling, but by some miracle the horse did not fall on one of his legs, and when he landed he was able to get back on his feet, and just in time too, as the deserter was bringing his sword down on Jon, with a blow he just barely managed to deflect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rushed the man as fast as he could, letting a sudden rush take control over him, and he attacked the man with all his strength.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man parried a handful of blows, but the man was a good fighter he realized, and was matching his blows, and even making his own attacks against Jon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was stronger than Jon, but Jon was faster. It didn’t matter though, as suddenly a sword was jutting out of the man’s chest, running red with blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon saw the shocked look of the man, as the sword suddenly was withdrawn, and the man fell to the ground. In front of him though was not Robb, but the Princess, having taken up Robb’s sword and run it through the deserter’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought to saw something to her, but he there was still one more wildling left, with Greywind and Ghost having killed the other two, which he advanced towards. She was a long and tall woman, with very short hair, dressed in rags.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mercy my lord,” she called out to him, as he approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon stopped in front of her. “Have mercy on me my lord. It was them who fought the Stark, not me. Spare my life and I will be of service to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He considered it for a moment, before he looked back to the creek where Robb lay. A fury took over him, and he swung Dark Sister, taking the woman’s head cleanly off, before he rushed towards Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, Robb…” Jon said as he cradled the boy that had once been his brother. He was limp, but he was breathing, Jon saw. The creek was not very deep, but both of them were quite wet, and he could see that Robb’s skin was prickled, no doubt from the cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” He asked Princess Myrcella, completely forgetting all his courtesies, and ignoring the cries of his horse. It was Robb who needed him more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We… We were riding, and we stopped here, before some wildlings came upon us. They demanded we give up our horses and riches and they would leave us be, but Robb fought, and killed two, before the one you killed threatened our child, and Robb dropped his sword, and the wildling pulled Robb down from his horse,” she explained to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Jon a few moments to comprehend what she had told him. Their child? He thought to himself, before he looked at the princess and could see her belly was just the slightest bit swollen through her clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t matter, Jon decided, they needed to get back to Winterfell. “Help me, my lady,” he told the Princess as he began to pull Robb out of the creek. Thankfully she understood what he was trying to do, and joined him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Together they were able to pull Robb out while he was unconscious, to one of the two horses that had not been harmed by the wildlings. Robb was heavy though, too heavy for them to lift onto the horse on their own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Robb,” he called out, hoping Robb might wake, and to his surprise, Robb’s eyes fluttered open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cold… Cella? Jon?” He said, still not understanding what was going on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surely they had not been so foolish to ride out together, alone, Jon hoped. “Are there others?” He asked, unsure as to who he truly directed the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Princess Myrcella replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked to the direwolves, with Greywind still feasting on the guts of one of the wildling women, but Ghost was there. “Find me someone,” Jon told the white wolf, and thankfully Ghost complied, running towards Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon remembered his horse that he was riding. It had stopped making noise, but when he looked over he could see the horse was still alive. He took Dark Sister and thrust it through the poor animal’s neck, to put it out of its misery, before he wiped the blood on the sword off on one of the wildling corpses, and put the Valyrian Steel longsword back in its scabbard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dug through the pack pulling out Maester Aemon’s letters to his siblings and Daenerys, and a few other things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had finished, Jon went back to Robb and Myrcella who were next to one of the two horses, while the second horse had fled. The Princess was crouched next to Robb, who was sitting up but dazed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon looked over Robb. He must have cut his leg on a rock as he had fallen from the bad gash on his right thigh that he saw, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you stand?” Jon asked Robb, hoping Robb might be able to mount himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb groaned a little, as he started to get up, with Jon and Myrcella aiding him. “You went… You went to the Wall…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did… But I came home,” Jon told him. “I didn’t join the Watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded faintly at that, Robb was on both feet standing upright, though wobbly. “Careful,” Jon told him, as he held Robb steady.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb tried to mount, but ended up losing his balance, and falling back to the ground, though thankfully Jon was there to catch him, and keep him upright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked around. With one horse, one direwolf and three of them, with night falling, he figured it best they simply waited until Ghost came back with help from Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we supposed to do Jon?” Princess Myrcella asked him. Jon didn’t fail to note that she used his name, which caught him off guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maester Luwin or Ser Rodrik or Lady Catelyn or your Ser Arys will take note of you not returning and send out men to look for us, and Ghost will be able to lead them to us… We can wait here for the night, until they find us,” he told her. Winterfell was still near half a day’s ride away by his estimates, and he did not think Ghost would get to the castle, and have returned with some men from the castle by the time, and it was nearly midday already. Jon gave her the ropes for the horse. “Hold these my lady,” he said, before he back to his dead horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabbed one of his spare breeches, wine and a bandage from the pack, and went over to Robb, but when he got over to Robb, he took them himself. “I know what to do,” Robb said as he took them, and so Jon left him be, before he went back over to the Princess, and took back the horse’s reigns, and tied them around a tree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What will we do if more wildlings should come?” The Princess wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon looked the princess over, seeing her wearing a soiled dress, even seeming a little as improper as Arya did many often.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ride hard for Winterfell then, and tell them what happened, my Princess. Robb and I will try to fight them off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And if you should fail?” Myrcella asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon shrugged. “Then we die then I guess…” It would pain him to die now, so far from Jeyne, but it didn’t matter he thought to himself. If he died, then he died, and there wasn’t anything he could do to change it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took of the saddle from the one horse that they had, while the Princess walked over to Robb, and when he had finished, he went over to the dead horse, and began removing the pack saddle on it, and saddled the other horse with it, and placed Maester Aemon’s letters back in them, before he started to grab some wood. Making a fire here would not be too hard, and before long they had one burning, with Robb and Myrcella sitting next to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Princess was with child, and Robb still injured, so Jon took it upon himself to help set up their camp for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grass was high here, which would make the earth softer as they slept at least, and he had only two blankets in his pack, and they simply had to pray that it would not rain in the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jon had finished, he went and sat back by the fire. Robb had been in conversation with the Princess when he came over, though they stopped when he took a seat on one of the rocks that was around the fire. Robb had been attending to it, he saw, and it was well into the afternoon now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ghost had not returned yet, nor had anyone came upon them, so most likely they would have to stay the night out there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you join the Watch Jon?” Robb asked to break the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon thought for a moment, considering his words carefully. “Jeyne… She needs me…” He told Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His dreams had been troubling him of late. Jeyne wasn’t at Raventree Hall he knew, and there was something wrong, but he didn’t know what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully Robb seemed to understand, and simply nodded quietly, not pressing him for anything more than that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Catelyn…. Your mother… She told father that she would not have me at Winterfell with him gone. Would she allow me to at least rest a night at the castle before I continue south?” Jon wondered. He didn’t want to stay long, but mayhaps Lady Catelyn would be even the slightest bit warmer to him knowing that he had saved her son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother…” Robb said, letting the word sit in the air for a moment. “She made for King’s Landing not long after you left Jon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon was shocked to hear it. He had not thought that Lady Catelyn might have gone south to King’s Landing. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb began to say something, before he looked to Princess Myrcella sitting next to him, and closed his mouth, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter,” Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever the reason, Princess Myrcella didn’t and couldn’t know, he realized. There was some secret Robb was keeping from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took out some of the salt beef he had brought south with him, going around the fire to do so. Robb bid that Jon sit down next to him, and both he and the Princess took some from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both began to chew on some, and Jon took some for himself too. It was hard, and didn’t taste particularly good, but it was food. He ate it all, though he noticed after Princess Myrcella had tried some, she had given it to Robb, Holding her stomach as she did, and he realized her tender stomach must not have been able to handle the salt beef.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He might have offered her something else to eat instead, but he didn’t have anything else to give her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, they sat around the fire for hours, talking in hushed voices as the sun began to set in the west, watching as the world grew darker and darker, until it was lit solely by the light of their fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside of Winterfell, the stars always shined brighter than they did in the castle, but tonight clouds covered the sky, leaving them unable to see the stars above.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Princess had drifted off to sleep next to Robb, leaving Jon and Robb the only two still awake, allowing them to speak privately. For a moment he thought to tell Robb, to tell him the truth, but he decided against it. He decided it better to save the truth until he finally could speak with Jeyne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He realized it hadn’t just been Lord Eddard who had lied to him either. The former white knights of Aerys’s kingsguard, save Ser Barristan, had, and the men he had brought with him to the Tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had all lied, he thought to himself. Lord Eddard had done it to protect him, Jon tried to tell himself, but deep down he wondered if there might have been more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a need of you Jon,” Robb told him to break the silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you need me for?” Jon asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With… Father gone, and mother… And Bran and the girls… And Jeyne too, everything has fallen to me,” Robb said. “I could use you at Winterfell…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon looked at Robb carefully. There was loneliness in Robb’s blue eyes, and for a moment he thought he should stay. But when he closed his eyes it was Jeyne’s face that he saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to go south…” Jon said, even though it wouldn’t please him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb gave a look of dismay, one that Jon had seldom seen in their youth together. “We leave for the isle of Skagos soon, to go deal with their unruliness. I would at least have a need with you there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon opened his mouth, thinking to argue with him, but no words would come out. If Robb was going to Skagos, of course he would have a need for Jon. He pictured the island as they had been told it was like by Old Nan so many times in their youth, filled with men who feasted on flesh, and many other heinous acts that had once scared him so much. Though he and Jeyne had shared a bedchamber when they were young, they always had their own beds, save for when one of Old Nan’s tales were too scary, and they shared a bed for the night, almost always being tales of Skagosi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go,” Jon said, wondering what madness had overcome him, when they heard a rustling of leaves loud enough that it even woke Princess Myrcella.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More wildlings?” Robb asked. Jon thought there might be a chance Ghost had brought men from Winterfell to find them, but he didn’t think it particularly likely. Jon felt himself rising, placing his hand on Dark Sister’s hilt, waiting anxiously as suddenly a pair of yellow eyes became visible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greywind?” Robb said, and Jon could see that the wolf had been dragging something with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both ran over, and saw that the wolf had killed an elk and brought it to them. They both brought the wolf closer to the fire where Robb began to remove the animal’s guts, and took some of the meat that they could cook off the animal as well, while allowing Greywind to eat his fill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Robb had finished cooking some, he offered it first to the Princess, who devoured it greedily, before he gave some to Jon. When Jon had eaten his fill, he looked around at the camp. No stars were in the sky still, while Robb still ate with Princess Myrcella, japing as they did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was good to see that Robb could be happy, though it made Jon wonder what he needed to be happy himself, and soon he fell asleep sitting against the stone thinking about that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had a dreamless sleep that night, before he woke in the morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone had placed a blanket on him after he had fallen asleep he saw, while Robb and Myrcella lay together covered in a blanket of their own, and Greywind had curled up next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had not rained that night, which was a relief, though with the morning dew on the grass, he realized it likely didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fire had died down to a handful of embers, though with the sun having risen Jon could see perfectly well. For a moment he thought simply to put it out entirely, since they could hopefully walk to Winterfell by nightfall, though with Robb’s leg injured and the Princess being with child, he thought against it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shortly after Jon had begun tending to the fire again, as they waited for men from Winterfell to find them, he noticed that Robb and Myrcella had woken, and had come over to join him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both looked terrible from what Jon could see, in particular the Princess whose dress had already been soiled from riding yesterday, and whose golden hair seemed a tangled mess now, while Robb did not look much better either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To break their fast, they ate more from the elk that Greywind had killed yesterday, as they sat and waited, though it was not long before he heard the distant noises of hoofs beating and horses whining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not long after the men from Winterfell had come upon their camp with Ghost by their side before it was even midday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spotted Theon, and Myrcella’s white knight, though he couldn’t remember his name. Ser Elys was the name he thought of, though he knew it wasn’t right. And there were other men at arms from Winterfell, with Maester Luwin too even, no less than a dozen men. They had extra horses too, which Jon was thankful for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord, you ought to not ride out like that… And Jon…” Maester Luwin began to say, his face going a bit red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon had begun to say some sort of jape before he saw the wildlings bodies and the dead horse. He spotted in the corner of his eye that the white knight was giving the Princess some riding leathers that he must have thought to bring with him from Winterfell, while Robb spoke with Hal Mollen, telling of what had happened no doubt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were going to join the Night’s Watch…” Maester Luwin said, no doubt fearing that Jon had deserted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never said my vows,” Jon assured the maester, whose face returned a little to it’s normal coloration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon went over to the fire that was still burning low, and used some water from the brook nearby to put it out, and then he mounted one of the horses that had been brought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maester Luwin had begun to talk to Robb, wondering what had happened. “We can speak when we return to Winterfell,” Robb told the maester though, and that had silenced him. And before long the Princess had returned from the woods, having finally been dressed in proper riding clothes, and mounted her own horse, and they were riding back to Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While most everyone was speaking to Robb and Princess Myrcella, few had cared to speak with him. Ghost followed alongside Jon as they rode back to Winterfell, and before long he began to see the great castle looming ahead of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Home, Jon thought to himself as he rode, even if the castle seemed built on lies to him now.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Whoa, another chapter?</p><p>I don’t have much to say here other than I hope you enjoyed.</p><p>Please do leave feedback, whether they be comments, kudos or bookmarks. They help me a lot in my writing, and I love being able to engage with you guys. I would like to be getting more comments in particular, and for those of you who have been leaving them, thank you.</p><p>ASOIAF has not, does not, and will not ever belong to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Myrcella IV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Myrcella</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella dreamt of dragons, as she had hundreds of times before. The beautiful creatures were soaring in the sky. When she was younger she had wished to tame one for herself, and to ride one, though she had been quite disappointed to learn the last had died over 150 years before in the reign of King Aegon the Unlucky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as they danced in the sky, suddenly she found herself in the earth, the crypts, she recognized from what she had seen when Robb had shown her in another dream. She felt herself walking, until a point when she couldn’t go any further. The stone lords were there, but suddenly she felt the floor drop out from under her, and she was falling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she could finally focus on what she was dreaming of, she found herself in a place she did not know. It reminded her of Dragonstone, the seat of her uncle, Lord Stannis, which she had seen several times before, yet this was not Dragonstone. There was no great citadel or gargoyles in the shape of dragons made out of fused black stone. She wandered the island for a bit, until eventually she came upon a cave, and she walked through it. Something important is in there, she knew, and though she misliked it, she forced herself to enter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked through the cavernous tunnel alone in what should’ve been complete darkness, though with it being her dream, she could see just fine. As she wandered she came upon blackened and charred bones of various animals, even some human, and even two dragon eggs, yet she pressed on until she came upon a cavern more open than the rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she looked around she gasped, as there was a great black dragon with menacing green eyes, that was eating a smaller green dragon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella thought to scream or run away, yet the dragon looked up at her and opened his mouth, and she felt a rush of heat wash over her, before she woke with a start.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was still next to Robb at Winterfell in their bedchamber. She tried to remember the last time she had a dragon dream. None since she had wed Robb as far as she could remember, or even since they had started north towards Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she was young she had spoken to Grand Maester Pycelle about them, but he had only told her that her dreams had no meaning. Her mother had taken a little more interest in their contents, but tried to assure her it was nothing. It was only Uncle Tyrion that ever truly cared about her dreams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb was still sleeping soundly next to her. It was good to have a husband who did not snore, Myrcella thought, though unfortunately it came with the trade off of him howling in his sleep many a night, so for him to have a night when he didn’t was good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella also felt a little flutter in her tummy. Two days past she had felt the pup inside her move for the first time. Maester Luwin had told her that she was feeling movements a little earlier than most did when carrying their first child, but assured her it was fine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she remembered. Today was to be the day that Robb would be leaving for Skagos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella had tried to convince Robb not to go himself, or to leave the Skagosi be entirely, yet he would not heed her. And there was something about her dream as well, that made her nervous about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She placed a kiss on Robb’s lips as he remained asleep before she paid a visit to the privy to make water, and began to dress herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today she dressed herself in a white wool dress, lined with furs, that she had taken from Robb’s sister, Jeyne. It looked good on her, she decided when she looked at herself in the mirror, and she left their chambers to break her fast. It was tight around her belly, and soon she knew she would need to dress in clothes that proved to be more accommodating, but it didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she made it to the main hall, she took some of the food before her, and ate it quite greedily, such that she was sure her mother would’ve scolded her for not acting a proper lady, but it didn’t matter. She was hungry, and eggs, sausage, bread, and half of everything else on the table she ate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she had finished she started to find her way out of the hall, though was surprised to see how many people were there, though Robb was not there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried to find people that she knew among the hall, and spotted Rosamund who was sitting with Ser Gerold Dayne, the one they called Darkstar. Myrcella had not failed to note the looks she gave Darkstar, and had taken care to ensure Rosamund did not find herself in his bed as Rhea had found herself in Daemon’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the distance, Myrcella spotted Princess Elia was speaking with her son, Aegon, and a little further off she saw Theon’s wife, Rhaenys walk into the hall arm in arm with Jon, while Theon himself sat much further off with both his children, which struck her as queer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She left the hall, tailed by Eleyna and Arwyn, as she went to try and find Robb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her search cost her much of the morning, before she finally found him, mounted in the courtyard, ready to leave. Today Robb wore mail covered in boiled mail, while he was mounted upon his grey destrier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where were you?” Myrcella asked him when she finally caught his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb shrugged. “You found me my lady,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please Robb… Please don’t go…” She had pleaded with him several times before, but it had failed. She hoped that this time her pleas would be successful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to Myrcella…” Robb said, his voice seeming certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella was not pleased with his answer. “You don’t…” She remembered him lying motionless in the stream, fallen from his horse. Surely he would have to see sense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could leave Greywind with you…” He offered, no doubt hoping it would make her feel better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, “No, you will need him. He is part of you,” she said, thinking back to all those nights she had heard Robb howl in his sleep. As a girl she had often been told tales of skinchangers and wargs, beasts in human flesh, but little did she realize that she would end up marrying one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you say Myrcella… I have to go…” Robb said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be safe then…” Myrcella finally managed to say to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as others began to say their goodbyes, before the gates finally opened, and the men that had been assembled began to stream out of the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella stood as Robb began to ride out of the castle, at the head of a colum of men, riding east out through the Winter Town, and beyond towards the Kingsroad and further out beyond that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she turned around, she had expected to see one of her ladies, but to her surprise it was the Lost Lord, Jon Connington who stood behind her, watching the party fade in the distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord?” She called to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been King Aerys’s Hand once, Myrcella remembered, and a loyal friend to Prince Rhaegar, though for his failures to defeat her father at the Bells, the Mad King had exiled him, stripping House Connington of all its lands, titles and incomes. When father took the throne, he had restored House Connington to some of its former power, but according to tales, Lord Connington had drunk himself to death while in exile, though that was plainly not true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had also not failed to note the looks of disdain he gave her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, my lady?” The man said, struggling to even let out a proper title for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walk with me,” she said, trying to maintain a courteous voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her for a moment as if he were trying to judge what sort of strange creature she was, before she spoke again. “It is improper to tell a princess no,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not-” He started to say, before Myrcella stopped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any less than you’re a lord,” she finished, and instead she offered him her arm, which he reluctantly took, and together they walked with one another, towards the Great Keep. When they got to the Great Keep, he led her up the stairs towards the covered bridge that commanded a view over the whole yard below.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you wish to speak to me about?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lady ought to know her people, shouldn’t she?” She said, as meekly as she could manage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not one of your people…” He insisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You live at Winterfell,” Myrcella countered, and that seemed to silence his protests. She sat up against the sill, putting one leg up so that she could easily both look to Connington and the yard below. “As a girl my father spoke of a Griffin Lord that he had faced at the Battle of the Bells, and slew Lord Arryn’s heir before facing my father in battle. He lost, and was exiled before he drank himself to death. Yet he stands before me at Winterfell… How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not know where the tale came from that I drank myself to death. I had served amidst the Golden Company for some time until I sought to return to Westeros, to swear my sword for Rhaegar’s son,” Jon Connington told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You hate me because my father did not recall you from exile and restore you to your lands?” Myrcella asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lord didn’t answer at first. There was something deeper than that, she saw plain as day, but she didn’t know what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After… After I heard that Rhaegar was slain on the Trident, I vowed I would not rest until the Usurper and his children were dead, and Rhaegar’s sons were seated atop the throne,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that means me too then, Myrcella thought to herself. She wondered why she still was speaking to him, or why she didn’t just tell Robb to expel him from the castle. He was more intriguing than threatening, Myrcella realized, and that was why she hadn’t ordered him away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent were all in service at Winterfell too, but had shown her none of the disdain that Connington had. The only one who seemed to dislike her quite as much as he did was Daemon, and Myrcella wondered if that was why she was interested in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful then my lord… With a word I could have your head mounted atop a spike. But with a word to my father, and I could have you returned to your keep, Griffin’s End, and made a Lord again, just as easily. You would do well to remember that,” she told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Griffin’s Roost,” he muttered. She had hoped the promise of returning to his lands might entice him, but it seemed it hadn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were once one of the Greatest Lords of Westeros… Surely you have a wife do you not?” Myrcella asked. He had come alone as far as she could tell, and no wife or children had turned up since he had arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye… Alayne… She remains across the Narrow Sea with our children. She preferred to remain with them in our mance there, rather than coming this far North,” he said bitterly. “She had been the Maid of Honor at the Greatest Tourney there ever was, yet she ended up with me far away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella thought for a moment before she realized the Tourney he was speaking of, the Tourney of Harrenhal, that had been held in the year of the False Spring. If she recalled, the Maid of Honor had been the daughter of Lord Walter and Lady Shella Whent, though little was said of what became of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely it would please you then to have them returned to Westeros, that they might inherit Griffin’s Roost to pass to their children as well,” Myrcella said. She thought about the babe growing in her own belly, what she would do to ensure they were safe and happy. That felt more valuable to her than loyalty to some king long dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a small hunger in his eyes that she could see. He wanted what she had to offer him, even if it meant betraying the Mad King’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you have of me?” Lord Connington asked her, and she knew she had won.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loyalty to my father, and my brothers after him, and you can be restored to your lands. I can write to my father and good father, and when you ride south they will give them to you,” she told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave her a suspicious look, and she saw he was not trusting in the offer she was giving to him. Myrcella wondered what madness was had overtaken her as well, but that was before he responded, “I will then… Princess…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought to perhaps say something, or at least expected him to say more, but instead he took one more glance out over the yard below, before he left her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of steel rang throughout the yard, making for a constant song of sorts. She watched them below for a few moments in silence, while the red haired lord walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To her surprise though, Ser Arys stepped out after the Griffin Knight was gone. “Princess… Such a man is dangerous, and you would do well to avoid him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is… But that doesn’t matter,” Myrcella said. Her father was a dangerous man, uncle Jaime and uncle Stannis too, and Robb could often be dangerous. Him being dangerous didn’t make him much different from other men.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winterfell was the seat of her father’s best friend and staunchest supporter, yet it was filled with men who had once been loyal to the Mad King and Prince Rhaegar, which had left her feeling uneasy. And with Rhea to wed Daemon now, she felt the need to remove some of them, for fear that when the time came they would rise against her father. If they did that, she would be the first to suffer then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remind me that I will need to write a letter for him,” Myrcella said, before she put her leg down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going Princess?” Ser Arys asked her, with an uncertain look to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The crypts…” She decided just then. Her dreams had to have meant something. There was something waiting for her there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked through the Great Keep, with Myrcella grabbing a pair of gloves to wear as she went quickly. Ser Arys kept up with her, though he was confused. He didn’t know where the crypts were, nor had anyone shown her where they were, but she knew where they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked past the guard hall towards the Old Keep, and she spotted the Broken Tower looming when she finally spotted the old Gargoyles that marked the entrance to the crypts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully there were torches nearby that they could grab, and before long they were descending down into the crypts beneath the earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crypts were cold and dark, lit only by the torch she carried with her, and the one that Ser Arys had brought. She was thankful the dress was fur lined, and that she had thought to get gloves before she went down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella had never been in the crypts, save in dreams, yet somehow she didn’t feel lost. She walked forward, descending the steps, and then continuing on. Dimly she was aware of Ser Arys as he followed her, seeming uncertain as she went,  For the longest time it seemed the crypts were empty, saved for future tombs she realized, as she walked further and further, until she finally reached actual tombs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first one she realized to be Lord Eddard’s tomb, no doubt constructed after he had returned home from war, since he was the Lord of Winterfell now. The others she guessed to be Robb’s grandfather, aunt and uncle, Lord Rickard, Lady Lyanna and Brandon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she tried to imagine Lady Lyanna as her mother, thinking back to how her father had been betrothed to her. She wondered if she would even still have wed Robb, or what she would look like even. Surely she would not look as she did now, taking heavily after her mother, looking every bit a Lannister without a trace of father in her. She’d either have the older Stark look or look like a proper Baratheon she decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Lyanna had often gone unmentioned when Myrcella spoke with her mother and father, but she always seemed to be present when they spoke. Neither had told her much, and while Robb and Lord Eddard had told her more, there was still much she did not know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kept walking though, ignoring those thoughts, looking at the older tombs as she went. Myrcella remembered that she had been told tombs were only for the Lords of Winterfell and Kings of Winter, save for three, Brandon, Lyanna, and Lord Donner and Lord Willam’s brother, Artos, known as the Implacable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After continuing silently past some of the earlier tombs, she saw that there was one with a crown, the Kings of Winter who ruled before Aegon’s conquest she realized. The place in her dreams was more recent than that, and she turned back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Others were buried as well in the crypts, but those that weren’t lords or kings didn’t have tombs of their own, and soon she stopped when she realized she found the place from her dreams, between two statues of lords she didn’t know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stone plaque that bore no markings save for a single three headed dragon lay surrounded by dirt, There was something here she realized, something buried here…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she wondered if it would be buried underneath the stone, but she brushed some of the dirt, and saw that there was wood underneath it. She began to move more and more, until the wood ended, and there was stone to all sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a trapdoor here, she realized, one that she had found. She tried to open it, though it as she pulled, it didn’t budge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess… It is not wise to disturb the dead…” Ser Arys said when she was finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at the white knight who stood over her, watching. “There is something down there. Something I have to find. I dreamt it Ser.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Often she had told him of her dreams, and he knew that the ones she was talking about were not common dreams, so he stepped forward. “Allow me then, giving the two torches to her now, and beginning to pull on the trapdoor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took him some effort, but after he was able to open the door, revealing a way down that seemed strange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a ladder going down, and Myrcella stepped forward going first, rather than Ser Arys, wanting to explore what she had found. She must have been the first to find this since it had been sealed she realized, as she climbed down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room was dark though, and it was only when Ser Arys had reached down and given Myrcella one of the Torches that she could see what was in the chamber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finally saw it, Myrcella found herself in awe at the treasures that lay before her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess?” Ser Arys called out to her from above.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she told him, looking at what lay before her. There were rubies, and gems and gold, all there, but what surprised her more where the dragon eggs. She had only seen a dragon egg once before, when visiting Lord Stannis’s seat of Dragonstone with her father, and these like the one she had seen before was completely stone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a suit of chainmail and a longsword that she realized both boasted the dark ripples of Valyrian Steel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Myrcella found herself wondering how these treasures had managed to find themselves in the crypts of Winterfell. She remembered three Starks had taken Targaryens to wife before, though she had forgotten their names and figured that must have been how, but even that made little sense to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and looked up to see Ser Arys was looking down through the trapdoor. She realized all of this had been laying beneath their feet as they walked through, and wondered just how many Starks had walked over it without ever stopping to think that this could be beneath them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robb must have for a certainty, she thought, and his siblings too must like, but she didn’t know how many others there were that had passed over it without ever realizing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I will need some help Ser,” she called up to him.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>So what’s the deal with Jon Connington I hear you all asking. Don’t worry, we’ll get his POV eventually when all shall be answered.</p><p>There's been a small passage of time between last chapter and this new chapter. Robb isn't off to Skagos immediately after he gets home or anything.</p><p>Before everyone starts asking what the hell is going on with all the stuff in the crypts and dragon dreams, do note that the lore has been altered in this fic. Some time soon I will be posting under a separate work a few Fire &amp; Blood formatted chapters detailing these changes that should give you an idea as to where all the stuff in the crypts came from…</p><p>Myrcella hints a little bit at where, with the three Starks who took Targaryens as brides, but explaining that would be too much for these notes.</p><p>As for Myrcella’s dragon dreams, they’re actually fairly simple. Lord Loreon Lannister, the son of Jason Lannister and Joanna Westerling, was aged up, and after Rhaena (daughter of Daemon) Targaryen’s Corbray husband died, she married Loreon instead of Garmund Hightower.</p><p>Additionally, Elaena Targaryen’s first trueborn (or “trueborn,” depending on who you ask), Viserys Plumm likely had descendants who in some way have married into House Lannister.</p><p>With this chapter, and the next few (Jeyne III, Catelyn III, Myrcella IV, and Rhaenys IV), I’m just posting them in the order that I finish them. My best guess is that we’ll have Jeyne, then Rhaenys, then Catelyn, but honestly we’ll see.</p><p>Thank you guys for reading as always, and I welcome all comments, kudos, and bookmarks. They mean a lot to me.</p><p>ASOIAF rightfully belongs to GRRM.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Jeyne III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jeyne</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day of the wedding was here. It was a cool day at Riverrun, though not so cool as Jeyne knew it would be at Winterfell, and today was to see the wedding of the heir to Riverrun and a granddaughter of the Twins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silvermoon had misliked Riverrun it seemed, and Jeyne had at first thought to have somebody take her back to Raventree Hall entirely, she considered it doubtful Lord Tytos would agree to it. Instead, her wolf spent most days in the kennels with the dogs, and occasionally in the Godswood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne couldn’t help but note all the glances people were giving her the past few days. By now the whole castle knew of Lord Eddard Stark’s bastard daughter who had fallen asleep nestles amongst the branches of the Weirwood Tree, and had fallen while she slept, injuring herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Hoster himself took little liking to her either, that much was plain, and while Ser Edmure was a little kinder, there was still the slightest bit of warmth that was not being shown to her. Jeyne supposed that she should not have expected too much from Lady Catelyn’s father and brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wore a scarlet red wool dress emblazoned with direwolves today, while her cloak was red, white and black with Weirwoods and Ravens all over in the colors of House Blackwood. She had dressed a little warmly, but it didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her fall had not been too bad, only a little sore still after it, but it had created quite the stir nonetheless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne tried to remember the last wedding in the customs of the seven she had attended. It had to have been long ago she realized, and she couldn’t think of any. She knew from what she had heard when speaking to Princess Myrcella that the weddings done in the Light of the Seven took much longer than those of the Old Gods, but she only could pray it wouldn’t be too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tourney in honor of the appointment of her Lord Father to the position of Hand of the King was soon to be held they had heard soon after they had arrived at Riverrun, though Lord Tytos had not spoken to her about it yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had wondered what it was she truly wanted, but she knew the answer was Jon without even thinking about it. Father, the King, Lady Catelyn, they wouldn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ceremony began near midday, after they had eaten breakfast. It was a smaller breakfast where gifts were given to the newly wed couple. Some lords had brought lavish gifts for the pair, a splendid suit of mail presented by Lord Jonos Bracken, some old and rare books from Lord Lefford, an emerald trout brooch from Lady Whent, and countless others. Lord Tytos himself had presented Ser Edmure with a Weirwood Bow, that he had thanked them for, and for the rest they had just watched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ser Edmure wore a quilted doublet of blue and red wool, that was embroidered with a leaping trout in the colors of his house. He looked so much like Robb, Jeyne noticed as she looked at him, much as Jon looked so much like father, though Edmure was a man truly, while Robb was still just a boy. Their auburn hair, blue eyes, straight nose, all looked the same, though Robb’s face was just a little longer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne found his bride to be a bit more interesting. A beautiful young woman, with blond hair and blue eyes and as her name implied, fair skin. She was pretty, certainly more so than her great grandfather. She had a large bosom to boast of, and wide hips with a narrow waist, and fine features aplenty, though Jeyne could not help but notice the occasional tear that ran down her face. Jeyne remembered that twice she had wanted to cry on her own wedding day, but both times she had made herself be strong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wore a blue and grey dress in the colors of House Frey, as was to be expected of a daughter of the Twins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made a procession towards the Sept of Riverrun, which was long and slow. Jeyne had never been in a sept this full before, though thankfully neither Brynden or the rest of his family seemed too comfortable in the sept either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood close to the aisle, watching as others came through. Most that streamed into the Sept were guests, and it was only eventually that some began to take up positions at the front. Ser Edmure and his father stood at the head of the Sept, between the altars of the father and the mother, waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually people had begun to settle themselves, and Jeyne watched as the bride was brought forward by her father, a man named Walton to the alters as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne soon lost track of time, as they exchanged everything in sevens. Seven vows, seven promises, seven blessings,seven songs it all passed very slowly for Jeyne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, when they had gotten to the end, the bride’s father, Walton Frey, removed her cloak marking his protection, and Ser Edmure took a different cloak, blue wool with the red leaping trout of House Tully in the middle, and placed it atop the woman’s shoulders. All that to change her cloak, Jeyne thought a little ruefully, remembering how Brynden had placed his own cloak in place of her’s. Though in the customs of the Old Gods, the groom removed the bride’s cloak as well as placed his own on her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With this kiss, I pledge my love!” Ser Edmure proclaimed for all to hear in the sept. The Frey girl echoed his words, though much more quietly and nervously, before the two shared their kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the finest part, Jeyne decided, since it meant they were done with the ceremony, and could finally return to Main Hall so that they might feast for the wedding. The Septon announced them to be, “one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever,” and they began to exit the Sept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the feast, Lord Tytos was given a seat at the High Table with many of the other lords, though only he was seated there, and the rest of them were nestled amongst lower tables.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat with Brynden and his brothers, while they were joined by other lordlings and maidens and knights aplenty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was little to note about the arrangement, save that they were as far away from Lord Bracken’s daughters as the Hall would allow. Since they had arrived, Lord Tytos and Lord Jonos had not shown much warmth towards each other, and two days past the two had to be separated during dinner over an argument between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne had hoped their feud would not take over the wedding, and so far it seemed her prayers had been answered. Lord Hoster had been taking a care to keep the two apart as much as he could, and had spoken with each privately. There was some disputed land both wished to lay claim to, but she had understood little else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brynden’s younger brother, Hoster, had tried explaining to Jeyne the issue, though Jeyne got lost after he had told her that much of it surrounded her marriage to Brynden. She didn’t know how she felt, knowing that her own wedding had created such a problem, but she felt guilty over it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brynden’s brothers had tried to help her feel a sister to them, but in truth that had only made her feel worse. She missed her true brothers, Rickon, and Bran, and Robb, and Jon most of all, and no matter how hard they tried, they simply didn’t fill the hole missing in her heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All three of them, Brynden, Lucas and Hoster, were at least a foot taller than Jeyne, and all were long, with blue eyes and hair as black as the ravens that flew on their sigil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brynden was the oldest, a man of nine and ten, and wore a beard too. He was the heir to Raventree Hall, and the one that she had wed. When she had first heard of the match, she had felt even a little glad, knowing her father had found her the heir to a great house for her to marry, but her disappointment with him had soon grown. In public he put on the appearance of a decent enough husband, though in private he knew that he preferred the company of other men to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lucas was the shortest of the three, but made for a good companion, and was the best fighter of them. Robb would like him, Jeyne decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hoster was the tallest, even though he was the youngest, and still growing. At just five and ten, he was almost as tall as Hodor, who was the tallest man Jeyne had ever seen. He was also a bookish lad, who wasn’t as well trained at arms as his brothers, but he was well versed in history and generally knew what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had hoped for more than feasting here,” she heard a man was saying. This was a Piper she saw when she looked at the man. “Surely a tourney would’ve been held in celebration of such a wedding, but no…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Hoster isn’t fond of tourneys, Jeyne remembered dimly. Robb had once asked father when he was telling them of the Tourney at Harrenhal if his mother had been there, but father had said she wasn’t, since her father remained at Riverrun. When asked why, her father had just told them Lord Hoster was not fond of them, and that was that. Jeyne wasn’t sure why she remembered that, but he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A tourney will be held in King’s Landing soon, Ser,” another man said. “That is where I mean to go beginning on the morrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne began to sup on some of the roast pig that lay before them, as well as eating her fill of peas and carrots, while she listened to them talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The knights all seemed eager and hungry for glory, to win the favor of the king, or impress some girl or to make their name ring through the centuries and by winning the tourney they would all do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sansa would’ve found the talk most splendid, Jeyne thought to herself as she listened. But she saw there were things deeper in them that were left unsaid, like gold, that also they lusted for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will we be going to the tourney?” She finally worked up the courage to ask Brynden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brynden seemed to be a bit in his cups by now, and it took him a moment to look at her before he realized what she had asked. “F-father… Father said that he is thinking we might… That you might wish to go to the tourney being held in honor of your father…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne felt a bit of fear running through her. She didn’t want to go to King’s Landing, certainly not now… But if Lord Tytos had decided that they were to attend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell him that it is not my wish to go,” Jeyne said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her drunkenly. “Why not, my lady?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just don’t,” Jeyne told him. She didn’t, truly, as much as she would like to see Sansa, Arya and Bran again, it would come at the cost of seeing the king again, and Jeyne decided she would rather die than do that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shall speak to him about it then,” he promised, though with how drunk he was, she was not so sure that he would.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne grew tired of talking, and decided to leave. She went to go dance, waiting for someone to ask her, and quickly some man was asking for a dance from her, some homely hedge knight that she didn’t know, who praised her beauty through his black teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her next partner was another hedge knight, though younger and more comely than the last, though he was a terrible dancer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeyne seemed to lose track of time as she went from one partner to another until she finally found herself dancing with Ser Edmure. He proved to be courteous, though their dance was short, and they moved on shortly thereafter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before the calls for the bedding ceremony had risen though, Jeyne decided to leave, making for the pavilion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was not surprised to see Brynden was there already, though his brothers had not come to rest yet. Jeyne undressed, and put on her nightgown before she got in bed with Brynden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He woke when she crawled beneath the furs, and Jeyne decided to move on top of him. “My lord…” She said, moving on top of him. “You have not had me since the day that we wed, and I am certain that I am not with child…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you have of me?” He asked her, uncertain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your seed my lord. That we might make a son tonight,” Jeyne explained to him. If he got her with child, they would not need to entertain this folly any longer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeyne… I…” He started to say in protest, though she simply put a finger to his lips, adjusting their night clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Imagine that I’m someone else,” she whispered to him, as she tried to make him erect. When he finally was, she guided him into her, and rode him softly, letting out soft moans as she rocked back and forth, doing most of the work, until finally he had spent himself in her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled off of him, his seed still wet on her cunt, and began to drift off to sleep, praying that they had made a son.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Not much to say here… Just thanks for reading as always, and please leave comments, kudos and bookmarks galore.</p><p>ASOIAF does not belong to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Catelyn III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catelyn</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus Peake stood before them. His arms and legs were fettered as he was brought before them in the throne room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His daughter, Lenora, and son, Tywald both stood before them as well, wearing fetters, though his younger son, Gerold had fled. The son must have resisted because  he had a broken nose and bruises on his face to show for it, while Lord Titus must not have put up a fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, there was no masking that they had been in the Black Cells for several days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn looked around. The King and his council were all present along with four of the knights of the Kingsguard, and many other nobles had come in attendance as the Lord of Starpike was to be put on trial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lord, you stand accused of having one of your men at arms attempt to kill the Hand’s own daughter, and the betrothed of Prince Joffrey,” Lord Varys said with a touch of pity in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus grunted at his chains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you deny it my lord?” Ned asked him. Her husband wore full armor today, and even had Ice with him, no doubt ready to be used. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I deny it… Yes…” the Lord spit out. “I would have a trial by battle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn saw a grim look upon Ned’s face. They had expected he would, but it did not change her thoughts on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is your right. I will face your champion within the hour,” Ned told him. She had begged him not to, telling him that it would’ve been more customary for Ser Illyn Payne, the King’s Justice, or one of the knights of the Kingsguard to stand as the Crown’s Champion, but he had insisted. He had been raised to believe the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword after all, just as he had raised their sons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shall stand as my own champion,” Lord Titus announced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So be it,” Ned said, while some of the guardsmen began to step forward to release Lord Titus from his chains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d have my sword too,” Lord Titus said, demanding his Valyrian Steel longsword, Orphan-Maker. One of the serving men offered it to him, who took it gladly, and he drew it from its scabbard. Though unarmored, he seemed like to face Ned then and there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned called for Ice, which Edmund and Elmar were quick to bring forward. Ned already wore his armor, and once he had the sword, he rose from his seat, ready for battle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus stood ready as well, prepared to face Ned, and with little ceremony, the duel began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn knew that Ned did not often wield Ice, save for special ceremonies. There were other lords of Winterfell that she knew of, like Lord Cregan Stark, who had once faced the Dragonknight wielding the sword, but Ned had saved the sword for trials, war, and execution.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned made the first swing at Lord Titus, bringing his sword down over Lord Titus’s head. Lord Titus was older than Ned, having seen at least fifty name days, and his hair was completely grey, or white. Her husband was larger too, and seemed even in his armor to be more nimble as the two great Valyrian Steel Swords clashed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When their swords met, it made a sound unlike any common sword swinging, sending loud echoes throughout the hall that rang in Catelyn’s ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus was not armed, and wielded a longsword rather than a greatsword as Ned did, which Catelyn thought was folly. She didn’t know much of sword fighting, but she had seen many fights in her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her father and uncle were larger men and often dominated their smaller foes, as was Ser Arthur Dayne. Even the Kingslayer in what few duels she had seen him fight, was larger and stronger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Lord Titus tried to dance from each of Ned’s swings, leading him about the whole hall, leaving him. Her husband made swing after swing at him, though more and more Lord Titus simply evaded them without even needing to parry, and they had gotten slower and slower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn’t like most duels Catelyn had seen, where often the men boasted back and forth, or taunted one another as they fought. The two men remained silent, not even letting out battle cries, as they went back and forth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus had backed closer and closer to the front doors, which had caused the men at arms there to draw their swords to prevent him from fleeing the throne room, though his focus seemed solely on Ned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was there the tides seemed to change, with the Lord of Starpike finally making a swing at Ned, a slash at Ned’s left hip. Ned was able to block it, but the Reacherlord began to make strike after strike, with Ned parrying seemingly three blows for every one he gave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The men of the Hall were cheering her husband, and giving calls of encouragement, but Catelyn began to fear as her husband seemed to be losing, when Lord Titus finally managed to land a blow, with a savage swing down on Ned’s left shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn could only watch as her husband’s sword began to drop. The blow had not pierced Ned’s armor, but he must have been hurt all the same, though as Lord Titus began to prepare for a killing blow, a sword came out of the man’s lower back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned rose, and began to pull a now bloody Ice from the man’s stomach, and Lord Titus remained on his feet for a moment before he began to fall over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart began to slow down a little, as she realized that Ned had won.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edmund and Elmar began to rush over to him, and began to tend to her husband, and soundly the echoes of the swords clashing was replaced by the sudden chatter of everyone in the hall. Ser Loras Tyrell had grabbed the Valyrian Steel sword, Orphan-Maker, from near Lord Titus, and had gone to the throne, asking the King’s leave that he may take the sword for himself, which the king consented too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Titus was guilty, Catelyn realized, or at least the gods had deemed him so. In the Eyes of Gods and Men, he had ordered one of his men to kill Sansa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn wondered how the man could’ve been such a great fool as to use his own man to kill Sansa, but it didn’t matter. She caught a glimpse of the queen who did not seem pleased, before she walked out of the throne room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her children next to her seemed to be relieved too, though Catelyn didn’t let them rush over to their father as she knew they wanted to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Ice had been cleaned and was sheathed, Ned left the hall too, making no doubt for the Tower of the Hand to remove his armor, followed by a handful of Winterfell men at arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grand Maester Pycelle began to speak of the guilt of Lord Titus Peake, while some of Lord Titus’s men were being pulled forward, each to be executed by Ser Illyn Payne. Catelyn had seen her husband execute another man a time or two, and Ser Illyn gave none of the same treatment that Ned did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None of the men were afforded the ability to speak their last words, and most were executed without so much as a sentencing, while some men collected the bodies as they were executed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn held her children close, so that they wouldn’t see the execution, but she watched every single one. Some men cried, some gave angry looks and two called for mercy, from the King, from the Gods, from somewhere, before they all met the same fate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the end only two remained, Lord Titus’s son and daughter. It was the man the brought forward first, who seemed to die with some dignity as Ser Illyn’s sword came down, and removed his head from his body, before the girl was brought forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn saw that she was weeping, perhaps for what she had been witness to, perhaps for her father and brother, and perhaps for her own life. For a moment, Catelyn thought to do nothing, thinking that it was deserved, for her father had attempted to kill her daughter to make her a queen, but Catelyn couldn’t, as she imagined if it were one of her own children that were being executed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” She called from the gallery, as men were beginning to force her down onto the block.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much of the court was gone by now, after the duel and with few wanting to bear witness to the executions, but what few eyes remained all began to turn to her, most chiefly the members of the Small Council, and the King.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn stepped out from the gallery, into the main hall of the throne room. She didn’t know what madness was driving her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lady… This girl’s father ordered a man to kill your own daughter, Prince Joffrey’s betrothed. Surely her life must be taken for that,” Lord Varys said, which Catelyn saw some members of the court nodded too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She struggled to find words to answer when suddenly young Warren Manderly stepped forward. “For what crime, my lord?” He asked before he bowed his head to King Robert. “This was her father’s crime, not her own, your grace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn remembered what she had been taught of House Manderly, how they had been once proud lords in the Reach, before it was House Peake that drove them out. Surely the boy would’ve been glad to see Lady Lenora dead, but he didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The king began to dismiss the few remaining members of the court, leaving only the Kingsguard, the King’s Council, and members of Catelyn’s household, as well as the few men who were still taking the bodies of those already executed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now Warren had moved to comfort Lady Lenora and moved her away from the headsman’s block, towards the edge of the main hall. She still wept though, Catelyn noted, feeling pity for the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My lady, the girl is a threat to your own daughters, surely you would feel relief at her death,” Petyr said when they were gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is she truly a threat my lord?” Catelyn asked him. “Her father in his ambition was for certain, but she is not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you do with the girl, my lady,” King Robert asked, calling down from the throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spare her your grace.” Catelyn didn’t know what she was going to do with the girl, but it would be better if she lived, that much was certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The black haired king gave a nod back. “You have my leave then,” he said, and Catelyn left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked back to the gallery, but saw that someone from their household had already taken her children out of the throne room, and Catelyn began to walk back to the Tower of the Hand, followed closely by the Manderly boy and the Peake girl as well as the few remaining Stark men in the Hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally made it to the Tower of the Hand, Catelyn entered, looking for Ned as she walked up each level. In time she found him, in the lord’s solar, having removed his armor, and was dressed in one of his silk and linen tunics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes seemed to light up a little when he spotted her, and she bid him sit. “What happened after I left?” Ned asked her curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ser Illyn… He executed Lord Peake’s men and son…” Catelyn told him, seeing that Ned wasn’t pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The girl?” He wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They brought her forward as though they were to kill her, though I stopped them…” She said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned’s shock was plain for Catelyn to see. “Where… Where is she now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ser Wylis’s son… He brought her with him here, to the Tower of the Hand, my lord.” Catelyn told him. “I do not think it wise to let her remain here in court…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I think not,” Ned agreed. “Her brother fled to Starpike, and it may yet come to war. If he had any part in the attempt on Sansa’s life, he will lose his head too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catelyn considered that for a moment. “That should make Lady Lenora the heir to Starpike then… House Peake once drove House Manderly out of the Reach…” She found herself laughing at the irony, though careful to not hurt herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned seemed to understand what she was saying, allowing Warren to marry the girl that House Manderly could claim Starpike in the south, where they had once ruled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He called for Vayon Poole, the steward. “My lord?” He greeted when he finally arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fetch me Warren, I would like to speak with him,” Ned said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At once my lord,” the steward said, before he turned and left, leaving Catelyn and Ned alone again, and Catelyn could only wonder how the rest of the realm would look on what had happened, and what was soon to happen.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>And another chapter is out…</p><p>Please do leave reviews and comments guys. The past few chapters I’ve only gotten one comment and one review each on them, and it can be a little frustrating. I enjoy hearing your feedback since it helps me gauge both how people feel about my writing, and because knowing how you guys fuel plays a key role in fueling my story and my ideas.</p><p>As a refresher, Warren is the 14 year old son of Wylis Manderly, and the eventual heir to White Harbor.</p><p>I published another series, just covering the lore alterations for this series, which I think have been mentioned a few times. Here’s the link to it: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31051514/chapters/76708385</p><p>So far I’ve covered some details on the later life of Queen Rhaena as well as her twin daughters, and how they are different, so you can check that out if you’re interested. </p><p>Two more chapters until the Tourney of the Hand.</p><p>Thank you guys for reading as always, and remember that all kudos and bookmarks are more than welcome.</p><p>I don’t own ASOIAF, never have and never will.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Rhaenys IV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Rhaenys</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down from the castle from atop the Great Keep, it was full of life. With Robb leading some off to go deal with the unruly Skagosi, servants were busy about the castle moving things and preparing for him to leave later that day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Theon was staying, as was Daemon, who had to wed Lady Rhea while they were away. But Aegon would be leaving with Robb as well, as was Jon, who Rhaenys had been certain would’ve continued south.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And soon their guests from Dorne would be returning home as well, though leaving her mother behind, taking Daenerys with them. A princess for a princess, Rhaenys thought to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Rickon had for a time been better behaved with Jon back, however that soon changed when he learned that both his brothers were going to be off to Skagos for a while. Rickon had pleaded with them to stay, or to take him with them, but in the end they refused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And since then, Rickon had not even been willing to play with Casella, despite how close they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys decided to descend from the top of the keep, making for her chambers that she shared with Theon. Neither Theon nor their children were there, she saw when she entered, and some servants had cleaned their room since last night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She found herself remembering a conversation with her mother they had at their wedding. Rhaenys had asked whether her father would approve of Theon as her husband or not. ‘Your father meant you for Aegon,’ Princess Elia had told her, which she felt she shouldn’t have been surprised by, yet she was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her brother was handsome, but Rhaenys could hardly picture herself with him, no more than she could picture herself as a septa. It would perhaps have been different had her father lived, but as it stood, she couldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If she had wed Aegon though, she would’ve one day been queen she knew, which was a notion she had once loved. She would never be a queen anymore, Rhaenys knew, but the prospect of being queen had always excited her, and she wondered if that was why she had married Theon, whose father had once crowned himself king.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps if she had waited longer she might have been able to seduce King Robert, and get him to set his wife, Cersei aside. As a Targaryen she would lend her name to his rule, and Rhaenys was certain that the king would find her more beautiful than his queen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Rhaenys shook those thoughts aside, deciding it would be good to say her goodbyes, but as she was beginning to leave, she heard a knock on her door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She expected that it would be Theon or Aegon, but when she opened the door she was surprised to see that it was Jon who stood outside of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we speak?” Jon asked her in a hushed voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course Jon,” Rhaenys replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closed the door behind him, and locked it, and for a moment Rhaenys felt her heart rising in her chest. She had noticed how Jon was even quieter and more sullen than he had been before now that he had returned, and the looks he always gave to everyone now, as though there was something he had to say. Whatever had happened to him at Castle Black had changed him, she realized, and perhaps it was not for the better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon sat down next to her on the bed, and the two remained silent together for a moment, before Rhaenys choose to break the silence. “What happened at the Wall?” She asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I befriended a dwarf, defended a craven… And found this,” he said, pulling the sword at his waist out of his scabbard, before he handed it to Rhaenys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She studied the blade carefully. Only a few blades that she had ever seen were like this one, and she realized it was Valyrian Steel. She looked at the dragon-head pummel and knew at once the sword she held in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you giving this to me?” Rhaenys asked for a moment. She wondered why Jon would, after all, she had never been trained at arms, and both Aegon and Daemon would be willing to carry it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon shook his head silently. “Lord Eddard… He lied…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys felt unsure what he meant by that. “About what?” She inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused for a while, before he finally spoke. “He’s not my father,” Jon finally said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” Rhaenys asked, feeling more confused now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He lied to protect Jeyne… To protect me… To preserve a woman’s honor,” Jon explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys realized he wasn’t going to directly tell her, but thankfully the riddle was not so hard to solve. “You’re… Lyanna’s son, by Prince Rhaegar… by father?” She asked him, and got a nod back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After setting Dark Sister on the bed, she gave her brother a hug, which seemed to put Jon somewhat at ease. “I’m proud to be your sister,” she whispered in his ear, knowing that was what he wanted to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they broke apart, she looked over Jon, and she could see no trace of herself or her brothers in Jon, but it didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeyne as well?” She asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Jon said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, Rhaenys thought to herself. She saw the look on Jon’s face, with the uncertainty that was on it, a look she always had seen on Aegon’s face when he was unsure about things. She had watched Jon and Jeyne growing up, and could hardly imagine what it must be like for Jon to have learned he wasn’t twins with Jeyne. Sometimes it seemed Daemon and Aegon couldn’t be any more different, but for them to not be twins seemed an absurd notion to Rhaenys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What will you do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon considered the question for a moment, seeming uncertain about the question that she had asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was going to keep going south… To Raventree Hall… But Robb has a need of me now. I promised him that I would go to Skagos with him,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys thought to herself for a little while as to what to say, wondering what would help ease Jon’s feelings. “Jeyne won’t be like to go far from there. She can wait a little longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t seem to settle him very well, but it was the best she could manage to say. “Come, let us break our fast together,” she finally said, pulling Jon up from the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon placed the Valyrian Steel longsword back in it’s scabbard, before he rose to walk with her. The walk from the keep to the great hall was not terribly long, and they moved together, arm in arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they arrived, they seated themselves at the table, while Rhaenys noted Princess Myrcella was taking her leave of the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both ate together, while Rhaenys noted others had not taken much note of them together. Theon was busy eating with the children.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do Aegon and Daemon know? Or Robb?” She finally asked him as she was nearly finished eating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jon shook his head. “I wasn’t sure who to speak to about it first… I thought you would understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys nodded. “You should speak with them, then… Perhaps not today, but soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wondered if she should tell her mother, and how she would feel about it. To her memory, she had never expressed disdain towards Lady Lyanna, though she wondered if that might have been because they were in Winterfell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys left Jon, going over to her mother and Aegon, who had Casella too, while Jon left the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment she considered if she should tell them, but she decided not too. It was for Jon to tell them, not her, and she certainly could not tell them now in the crowded hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she looked at the three of them she smiled, considering the thought that this was her mother standing with her son and granddaughter, yet the three of them could not have looked any more different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She joined with them, as they walked through the castle. Rhaenys barely listened as Aegon was speaking to their mother about Daemon’s wedding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It made Rhaenys wonder who her brother would marry. She had married a Greyjoy of Pyke, and Daemon would marry a Royce of Runestone, so surely Aegon would find his way into a good match as well, but the question of who seemed uncertain to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually she grew tired of their talk, and looked as men were beginning to prepare to depart from the yard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys broke from their party, and walked towards the main courtyard where she looked for Jon. She spotted Princess Myrcella was speaking to Robb, while mounted, and ultimately found Jon as he was saddling his horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye Jon,” she said to him, offering him a hug that he took.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye,” he whispered to her in his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched as her brother began to mount his horse, and before long he was riding off into the distance, leaving Rhaenys alone again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys began to wander the castle alone, wondering what she had to do today. She decided to pay a visit to Lady Catelyn’s Sept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Sept was not that large, and Rhaenys had scarcely prayed to the Faith of the Seven, especially after she had married Theon, who kept the Drowned God of the Iron Isles, but she decided she would today. She stood before the candlelit altar of the Warrior, praying for her brothers, praying that they would be given strength by the gods. Or God, Rhaenys thought, as she had been taught the seven were not seven different gods truly, but seven aspects of the same god.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she had finished before the altar of the Warrior she moved to the altar of the father. The face carved on the altar seemed to change as she looked, and she watched as the face seemed to move as she thought about men she prayed for. She prayed for her father, Prince Rhaegar, for Lord Eddard in King’s Landing, for Robb whose Princess was with child, for Daemon who she didn’t doubt would soon be a father himself, and countless others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys knelt there, waiting patiently, before she heard another figure enter. When she turned around, it was her mother there, Princess Elia, who had come to the Sept alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother…” She said, her voice wavering as she did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mother walked up next to her, and knelt next before the father beside her. She prayed silently with her head bowed for a little bit, and Rhaenys did the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was not so sure what she was praying for now, but she prayed anyways, until her mother began to rise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you pray for mother?” Rhaenys asked her mother as they began to exit the Sept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For you, your brothers and your children most of all…” She said. “And my own brothers in the south, and their children too…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you ever pray for father?” She asked curiously. For years Rhaenys had wondered if her mother did, though she had never been able to ask her until now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mother gave her a sad look. “Sometimes… Though he does not trouble my thoughts as much as he used to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Truly?” Rhaenys asked. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, and she wondered if she would’ve been shocked no matter what her mother said, but it didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He prayed for you and your brothers all the time,” Princess Elia told her, which wasn’t particularly surprising. “After your father died on the Trident, most my days were spent praying for you, that the King would allow us to make for Dragonstone with Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys, but he had refused. He blamed my uncle for his son’s death, and wanted to keep us close. When Lannister men began to attack the city, I took us to hide in the one place I thought they would never look for a woman of my status, the Godswood, which was where Lord Eddard found us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys looked at her mother, feeling as though something had glazed over her eyes. Neither Lord Eddard or her mother had never said how they had survived during the Sack, though both had said that Lord Tywin had sent men looking for her, that had attempted to kill them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely grandfather was not such a great fool as to think you had committed treasons against him,” Rhaenys said, wondering how truly mad he had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Elia let out a little laugh. “There was some truth to it… I had betrayed him after a sense. Though I hardly lost the Battle of the Trident.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you betray him?” Rhaenys asked, feeling more curious than anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When… When Ashara learned she was with child, I had her sent back to Sunspear before the king could know how she had paid visits to a traitor. Lord Stark’s bastard son, Jon, isn’t truly his… He’s Ashara’s, I am certain.” Her mother explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What.. Oh…” Rhaenys began to say before it dawned on her what had happened. Lady Ashara had snuck to the Black Cells, and paid visits to Lord Eddard’s brother Brandon, and gotten with child by him. They were Jeyne’s parents, Rhaenys realized, though she remembered what Jon had told him, that he was father’s with Lady Lyanna, and wasn’t sure whether or not to tell her mother. She seemed certain in her belief that Jon was the son of her friend, but didn’t know know the truth, leaving Rhaenys unsure whether to laugh or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why… Why didn’t you tell him?” Rhaenys finally managed to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew your grandfather. I knew what he would do to her and her child if he found out, and so I made sure he never did,” her mother answered. Rhaenys remembered hearing of Lady Serala of Myr from Ser Barristan, who after the Defiance of Duskendale had her womanly parts removed on the orders of her grandfather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Such a fate would’ve awaited Lady Ashara too then, if the King had ever found out she realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was about to say more, when suddenly Aegon stepped into the Sept, nearly out of breath. He had been running, Rhaenys noted, looking for them perhaps, as he waited a moment before he realized they were not praying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother… Rhaenys… If I do not disturb you, pray come with me. You will wish to see what Lady Myrcella found,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhaenys and Elia shared an uneasy glance with one another, before Rhaenys stood up, and began to follow her brother, to see what the Princess had found.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Wow! Two chapters in a day.</p><p>It’s been a while since I last did that… I actually finished four chapters today (which just so happen to have been Catelyn III, this chapter, and the next two chapters), however I’m gonna blow my load by releasing all four at once.</p><p>So according to my outline, this is the last Rhaenys chapter in the Return of Dragons, until the very last chapter, so you aren’t going to be reading from her POV again for a long time.</p><p>Also, I currently have 12 finished chapters that I have yet to publish, and with this, there’s 31 published (serious) chapters, which means that we’re actually over half-way there if things stand as I have them currently (72 chapters total). And that’s before getting into how the majority of those that aren’t finished are at least started or works in progress.</p><p>Again, please leave your comments, kudos and bookmarks. They mean a lot to me.</p><p>Thanks for reading, as always.</p><p>ASOIAF by rights belongs to GRRM, and I am merely borrowing his lands to do my farming.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. The Griffin Lord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Griffin Lord</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had finally made it to the castle of Harrenhal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since he had left Winterfell, Jon had rode seemingly day and night for King’s Landing, and now he had made it to Harrenhal, where so many bitter memories remained for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This is Alayne’s home, yet she isn’t here to see it. Jon wasn’t truly sure if she would rather see it or not, since they had rarely discussed home with one another. They shared little interest in each other truly, the only thing that kept them from separating over the years being their marriage vows and their love for their children.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince had facilitated the match after the Tourney of Harrenhal for him. He had little interest in marrying, but he had done as his prince had asked all the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wondered why he had chosen to ride so hard as he went south, if he were truly so eager to be killed. Most of his waking moments were spent wondering who was the greater fool, him or the princess. The girl for trusting in his word, or him for abandoning his prince..</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon had sent letters to Tyrosh, for Alayne, telling her he might be restored to Griffin’s Roost soon. It was the children he was doing this for he had tried to tell himself. That they could return to Westeros and hold lands, rather than die a bitter death in exile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For years he had dreamt of showing Harrion and Elanda the castle that had once been his father’s and his own, but for all he did they had gotten no closer to returning to Westeros.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had both grown up in exile, with Harrion being a handsome and capable lad with a sword, while Elanda had grown into a fair maid just as her mother was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He prayed that they would not have to sink to the levels he and their mother had while in exile, him becoming a sellsword and serving with some of the worst of men in disputed lands for several companies, and Alayne having become a courtesan in Lys for a powerful man in the city, who had showered Alayne and their children in wealth and splendor, until he had gotten her with child, and he sent her away. The babe had not been robust, and had died before her second name day too when they were in Tyrosh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there was something deeper though that he sensed. Aegon had given his blessing for Jon to go south, and he wondered if it was for him that he went south. Royce and Greyjoy would rise for him surely, and if Jon were restored to his lands he hoped others would join if he rose for the Prince’s sons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All he had to do was put his trust in the words of the Usurper’s daughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gates of the castle were open, as the roads had been quite busy. It was mostly people headed for the Tourney of the Hand, who had filled most inns each night, but tonight he supposed he might be able to get proper chambers as Lady Shella’s good-son.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rode through the gates, and into the enormity of the castle. The garrison was much lighter now than it had been when he had last been here, and the servants even fewer. Eventually he found a serving man who began to lead him to see Lady Shella.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My lady, Lord Jon Connington is here,” the servant said, before he bowed his head and left Jon alone in the room with his good-mother.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Alayne coming home?” The woman asked, a tear flowing from her bright blue eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had last seen her on the day of his marriage, a proud woman just past her fortieth name day, her hair still fiery red with only some grey beginning to show. Now she was close to her sixtieth, her hair bone white, with an old look to her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soon my lady,” he tried to promise her, hoping his words might soothe her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My sons… They’re all dead and gone… She is all that remains to me,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. He remembered her eldest son had been slain by Lord Arryn in battle as he led Vale forces to cross the Trident, so he could get west to join with the Usurper, but that battle oft was forgotten when compared to the Trident, and two more had been slain on the Trident itself along with her husband, but he had not known that her younger two sons had died as well. The youngest had been but a boy of ten then, he recalled, and Alayne had often spoken of how much she missed her brothers and mother. Never Harrenhal or Griffin’s Roost, just her family.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure she will be glad to come,” Jon managed to say, though he was not so certain now if she had learned that her younger brothers were dead too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded back. “Please do stay and be welcome here then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will need to press south on the morrow,” he told her. “But I can rest here tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good…” She said, her voice seeming quite feeble and weak. Once the woman before Jon had been the maid of Harrenhal, set to inherit one of the greatest castles in all the realm, whose hand had been sought by many after her brother, Ser Oswell had joined the Kingsguard, leaving her to be the heir. But she had been married to her cousin, Ser Walter, a cousin that as a Whent would ensure their house would keep control of the castle. Now she was an older and frail woman, the last of her line, whose sisters, sons, husband and kin were all dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A serving woman entered, offering bread, salt and ale to him, that Jon took. He hadn’t quite realized how hungry he was until now, but when he was finished he turned to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sun was beginning to set in the west, which meant that night would be upon them soon. Someone else showed him to some chambers before Jon began to wander the castle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the biggest castle Jon had ever seen before, greater than Griffin’s Roost or Storm’s End, or even Winterfell. At one point he caught a glimpse of a dwarf that he could only guess to be the Imp, the infamous uncle to the Princess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, he found himself in the yard where the jousts had taken place. He could picture the crowds still as they had been that day, everyone watching as the Prince defeated all his foes, before he had crowned the Lady Lyanna as his queen of love and beauty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had chosen her, and he had died for her, Jon thought to himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His thoughts were interrupted though by two men who approached him. The first wore a black dragon on his surcoat and had a wine stain birthmark that on the left side of his face, while the other was a little taller and wore a green dragon. Neither one of them he knew, but he recognized both must have been of House Vance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My lord…” The Vance of Atranta called out. “We had heard it that you were Jon Connington, returned at last from exile.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aye,” Jon answered. He was uncertain about the two men, but he felt the need to listen. “Who are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have the honor to be Ser Karyl Vance, heir to Wayfarer's Rest,” the other man said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am Ser Roland Vance, heir to Atranta,” said the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well met sers,” Jon said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Last we heard you were at Winterfell, having sworn your sword to Prince Rhaegar’s son…. And now you’re here… Why?”  Ser Karyl asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon considered his words carefully. He was uncertain whether he ought to tell them of the Princess and the words they had shared or not… “I had hoped to petition King Robert, to be restored to my lordship,” he finally told them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re trying to win the favor of the usurper?” Ser Roland wondered, with just a tinge of anger in his voice. They were true to the Targaryen cause, Jon realized at once. They wondered if he had betrayed it, and he had just confirmed it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To put Prince Aegon on the throne, aye,” he responded. He loved Rhaegar better than they did he was certain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How would you do that?” Ser Karyl asked curiously. They didn’t trust him, he knew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess Rhaenys wed the heir to Pyke… Prince Daemon is to marry a Royce of Runestone soon… House Martell will surely rise for Elia’s children, and other true knights and lords in the realm will do the same. If I should have my seat back, then I could say for certain Griffin’s Roost would for him when the time comes,” Jon said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both nodded, and Jon wondered if perhaps he had won their trust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You do not have the Princes though. How would you ever hope to place a crown on Aegon’s head if you do not have him?” Jon asked. In truth he did not know what to do himself, but he wondered if they who seemed so sure did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aye… Pit the lion against the wolf, and a dragon shall rise,” said Ser Roland.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon could see the sense in the plan. The Princes were still Lord Stark’s wards at Winterfell, and before they could be crowned they would need to be beyond Stark’s control. “How though, sers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You need a way to prove yourself to be true to the Usurper… The Imp is here, and vulnerable… Kill him, and Lord Tywin will be sure to react. You shall bring word to the Usurper in King’s Landing, and tell him upon the throne he stole, of our crimes,” Ser Karyl explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Surely Lord Tywin would descend upon you with steel and flames then, turn your houses into a song as he did the Reynes and Tarbecks,” Jon said, unsure of how they seemed so certain their plan would work. The Reynes of Castamere was not a song he had heard in many years, but he still remembered the words all the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s more than welcome too then. I am wed to Lord Hoster’s own daughter, and his eldest daughter is wed to Lord Hoster’s younger son. The Blackfish who holds the Bloody Gate of the Vale is wed to our aunt. Lady Shella’s sister was Lord Hoster’s wife, and Lord Stark is wed to Lord Hoster’s daughter too. If Lord Tywin attacks us, he will be attacking Stark as well. And the rumors from the capital as well…” Ser Roland said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jon nodded. He would gladly give his life to see Rhaegar’s son atop the throne that was by rights his, but he was not so certain he would do so at the cost of his children. “What rumors do you speak of Ser?” He asked though, out of curiosity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The usurpers queen… Oh she gave him horns and each of her children was not of the Usurper’s seed, but the Kingslayer’s,” Ser Roland explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could the woman have ever been so mad?” Jon wondered aloud, shocked to learn of it. He remembered the Princess at Winterfell, who had looked ever bit like a Lannister, and bore no signs of being a Baratheon. It was true for a certainty he realized. He wondered if that might ruin the Princesses plan, but he realized it opened the perfect opportunity when the King should discover the truth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stark would not be pleased to learn the Usurper had paid him in false coin. Nor was the Usurper like to be pleased with his queen. This was just what they would need he realized.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When will the war begin then?” He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It already has begun… From what we’ve heard in the south, Lord Tywin’s good-brother, Lord Peake, tried to kill the false Prince’s betrothed, Lady Sansa,” Ser Karyl said back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good…” Jon said. “When will you strike then Sers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve waited long enough. We strike tonight,” Ser Karyl answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p>
<p>Okay, so there’s a few other members of House Tully mentioned here. In this fic, Minisa and Hoster had two more daughters, as well as the stillborn son Minisa died birthing having survived (Minisa still died giving birth though).</p>
<p>Here they are, with their birth year and spouses listed, as well as what year they wed.</p>
<p>Catelyn (264) m. Eddard Stark (283)<br/>Lysa (266) m. Jon Arryn (283)<br/>Wylla (267) m. Tytos Brax (285)<br/>Marissa (270) m. Karyl Vance (287)<br/>Edmure (272) m. Walda Frey (298)<br/>Elmar (275) m. Lianne Vance (296)</p>
<p>For the Vance/Tully marriages, here they are so you can keep track of them:</p>
<p>Wayfarer's Rest- Ella Tully (sister of Celia Tully, uncle to Brynden and Hoster) married Lord Lucas Vance (Karyl Vance’s father)<br/>Atranta- Ser Brynden Tully marries Lady Falia Vance<br/>Atranta- Marissa Tully (daughter of Hoster and Minisa)  marries Ser Roland Vance<br/>Wayfarer’s Rest- Ser Elmar Tully (son of Hoster and Minisa) is married to Liane Vance (Karyl Vance’s eldest daughter)</p>
<p>Got that? Cool…</p>
<p>Brynden is still the Blackfish despite marrying because in this case he married a woman that was not among the offers Hoster Tully was considering. He married Falia who was of a junior line to House Vance of Atranta, rather than say, a Redwyne, Frey or Bracken.</p>
<p>You’ll notice that if you go back and reread Jeyne’s two chapters that have been published so far at Riverrun, that she does note Elmar, while Wylla and Marrisa don’t live at Riverrun, which is why they aren’t there. Catelyn hasn’t particularly thought about them either yet, but will eventually.</p>
<p>Anyways, thank you guys for reading as always. Your feedback is much appreciated, and thanks for all the reviews, follows and favorites that you give.</p>
<p>I do not own ASOIAF.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Bran III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bran</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the day of the tourney, Bran was woken before the sun had even risen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was excited, for today he would get to see a proper tourney, and better yet be a squire in one. Often he’d seen Jon and Robb or one of the old white knights or some other men at arms in the castle who would joust, but today was the first time it would be done in a grand event, not just a small bout in the yard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran was squiring for Lord Caron, who he helped armor that morning. His lordship wore a splendid suit of black plate armor, while on his shield were the arms of House Caron, black nightingales upon a yellow field.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His horse was a chestnut warhorse named Sweetsong, who Bran quickly became quite fond of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only way this could have been any better for Bran was if he had been allowed to bring Summer, though both his father and Lord Caron had agreed that it would not be fit to bring Summer who scared many of the horses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet Bran looked on with wonderment as the herald called forth those who were competing in the lists today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as many knights were called forth, Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, dressed in golden armor with his white cloak flowing behind him. There were four other knights of the Kingsguard who were competing as well, Ser Preston Greenfield, Ser Boros Blount, Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Mandon Moore, though not all seven would be competing. Ser Arys Oakheart was still at Winterfell, serving as a sworn shield to Robb’s wife, Princess Myrcella, while the Lord Commander, Ser Richard, was on Dragonstone with Lord Stannis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most had expected Lord Stannis to return to King’s Landing for the tourney, or even send some of his sons who had won some renown in the list, yet they had not come, though Bran didn’t think it too important to dwell on those absent. The Queen’s own brother, the Imp, had not made it to the Tourney in time, afterall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Jason Mallister who had been one of the few to answer his mother’s father’s call during the Rebellion, and his son and heir, Patrek. There was Ser Balon Swann of Stonehelm, and Lord Beric Dondarrion of Blackhaven, who like Lord Bryce hailed from the Marches. The Master at Arms in the Red Keep, Ser Aron Santigar was there as well, Bran saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched as the Master of Laws, Lord Renly was called forth, followed by Ser Robar Royce, whose father Bran remembered had visited Winterfell some time past. There were the Redwyne Twins, as well who were called forth, followed by the Freys in attendance. One of them was to be Lord Bryce’s first foe, Bran remembered, though he couldn’t say which one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the men from Winterfell came, Ser Mark, Ethan Glover, Alyn, Martyn Cassel and Harwin, Bran thought they looked quite poor compared to the competition, though not so poor as some. Only Ser Mark Ryswell looked like he truly belonged among the competition there, though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The was Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain, who was the largest man Bran had ever laid eyes upon, and his brother, the Hound, who was not as large, but still imposing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None looked so splendid though as Ser Loras Tyrell, who were a beautiful suit of blue armor, and rode atop a white mare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At one point, his lordship was introduced to the crowd, which Bran watched, as he rode forth and waved to the joyous crowd, before he eventually returned to the pavilion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran also did not fail to note those in the audience. He saw his mother, who wore a blue dress in the colors of House Tully, while Sansa wore a green gown that brought out the auburn of her hair. Arya was absent though, as was father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spotted the royal box, where the king sat, along with the queen. Princes Joffrey and Tommen as well as Princess Lanna were there too, and many more high lords and ladies were scattered throughout the stands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran watched as the first round of tilts began to unfold. Few of the matches were truly worth noting, as most were between fine knights and the lesser competition. The matches with men from Winterfell were the ones he had taken most interest in. He saw Ser Mark go against Ser Horas Redwyne though, who he managed to unseat, while Martyn Cassel unseated a squire that he went up against in his first match. Ethan Glover had drawn poorly though and went up against the Knight of Flowers in his first match, and lost quickly. And Alyn fell to Ser Merwyn Trant, while Harwin still awaited his first tilt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon it was time for Lord Bryce’s first joust, though. Bran felt his heart pounding as he helped place Lord Bryce’s shield on his arm, before he gave him a lance, and backed away. He was going against Ser Danwell Frey, Lord Walder Frey’s eight son, he heard the herald say. His arms were that of the twin towers of Frey, quartered with the boar of Crakehall, and he wore blue-grey armor mounted upon a black warhorse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The trumpet was blown, and the two were off. Bran stood back as they got closer and closer, the two horses picking up more speed as they rode forward. They passed by one another, and Bran heard a splintering noise he knew to be the breaking of a lance, though he didn’t know quite yet whose had broken. Both had held their saddle though, and rode to the other end. He saw that Ser Danwell still held his lance, unbroken, which meant it had been Lord Bryce whose lance had broken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone else was there on the other side to give his Lordship a new lance though, and after they had both taken some time to recompose themselves, the two men made another pass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, when the two rushed towards each other, Bran got a better look. Both Lord Bryce and Ser Danwell were able to strike blows against each other, with a snapping of the lances breaking, but he also heard a crash, as he saw Ser Danwell fall from his mount.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Marcher Lord rode past Bran on the end, and made another pass around the lists, to the cheers of the crowd, while some men were aiding Ser Danwell back to his feet, and leading him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran himself was overjoyed to see his lord’s triumph, as Lord Bryce returned to his side of the lists, and dismounted. He helped lead Sweetsong back to the pavilion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pavilion was emptier than most, Bran realized when they returned. He was the only squire, and there were only a handful of servants there to attend their lord, while others had more servants and some kin with them at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is your kin, my lord?” Bran asked quietly when they returned, after having remained mostly silent save the occasional cheer earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw a confused look flash upon the face of Lord Bryce, and Bran thought he had earned himself a clout on the ear, that father told him was standard when squires did something wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he only sighed. “I suppose you should have some right to know. My bastard brother remains at Night Song as Castellan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a bastard brother too… And a bastard sister...” Bran replied quickly. He wondered where Jon was now, having gone North to swear his vows as a brother of the Night’s Watch. Perhaps he was walking the Wall even now, Bran thought, or doing battle with wildlings north of the Wall. And Jeyne had been married to Lord Blackwood’s heir too, though the Blackwoods had not come to the tourney.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Stormlord nodded at that. “My older sister wed a son of Lord Gulian Swann many years ago, with whom she has two daughters and a son. She resides with her husband at Stonehelm I suppose. My wife, Bethany, remains at Nightsong with our sons, Robert and Alaric. I suppose you and Robert would get along well, since you aren’t dissimilar in age.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the rest?” Bran asked curiously, as the trumpet blew again, marking the beginning of a new tilt, this between a hedge knight from the Vale, Ser Luthor Brune, and another hedge knight from the Westerlands whose name Bran forgot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Near ten years past, my father and mother were carried off by a chill.” Lord Bryce replied a bit sadly. “Not long after I met Beth while visiting Parchments, and within the fortnight we had wed. My sister Shella, married Lord Arstan Selmy, and gave him two sons in two years, before she died birthing twin daughters for him the next year, Laena and Myrielle. Arlan wed the then Maid of Tarth a few years past, and managed to get two children by her, though how remains a mystery to me.” He shook his head, “How doesn’t matter I suppose. Tell me of yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran looked down for a moment. He didn’t know what was worth telling, or not. So he told him everything, speaking of mother and father, Jon and Jeyne who were on their own adventures, Sansa and Arya, Robb and Rickon, who’d been left behind at Winterfell, and it all came spilling forth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had finished, Lord Bryce simply nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you wish to be a Kingsguard? To defend your sister’s honor and guard her with her life, as Prince Aemon the Dragonknight once did? To earn glory like Ser Ryam Redwyne?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran bit his lip. He’d always wanted to be a knight of the Kingsguard, he’d known, but when asked, he couldn’t quite say why. It certainly wasn’t to protect Sansa, he thought quickly, he was going to be a knight of the Kingsguard before that. He had grown up with some of the knights of the Mad King’s Kingsguard too, but that wasn’t it either, he decided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Robb is to be Lord of Winterfell, married to a Princess, and to rule the North…” He began to say. “Sansa is going to marry the Prince, and become a queen. Arya will marry some high lord one day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes…” The marcher lord urged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what does that leave for me?” Bran finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Bryce’s face seemed to be knowing. Bran sensed that the lord understood why he wanted to be a knight of the Kingsguard better than he did. “So you wish to make your way in the world by becoming one of the famed Knight’s of the Kingsguard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran nodded. “Yes… Yes my lord,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” the lord said, before they looked back towards the lists, where the second round of jousts had begun. The next match was between Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Hugh, who was a knight from the Vale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the two men began to ride, Bran felt certain that it would be the Mountain who won this bout, and within a few moments, Bran was proved right as the young knight was knocked from his horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bran heard the crowd gasp though, and he quickly saw what had happened, with the Mountain having hit Ser Hugh in the neck, where part of the tourney lance had splintered off and was killing the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The knight took several more breaths before his breathing seized. It reminded him of the Night’s Watch deserter he had watched his father execute, even though father had taken his head cleanly, and allowed the man to speak his final words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jousts continued for the rest of the day. Lord Bryce defeated two more foes in the lists, before he fell to the Kingslayer, who had beaten everyone else he had faced as well, and his remaining foes today, leaving him as one of the four to move on to the second day of competing on the morrow, with the infamous Clegane brothers, and Ser Loras Tyrell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the feast afterwards, Sansa had told Bran all about how the Knight of Flowers had given her a red rose, rather than one of the white roses that he had given all the other ladies, and seemed half in love with him, while Bran simply ate, feeling satisfied with his first adventure.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author Notes:</p><p>Hey it’s another chapter…</p><p>Next chapter likely won’t be coming for another few days (it’s not done yet).</p><p>As you probably picked up from this chapter, House Caron is larger, as in canon we know that Lord Bryce’s siblings, mother and father all died of sickness around the time of the Greyjoy Rebellion, but in this fic they survived, and so what became of them is outlined here in this chapter.</p><p>Thanks for reading guys, and as always I welcome your reviews, follows and favorites.</p><p>I do not own the rights to ASOIAF and never will.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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